SB    31D 


tf 

X& 

5 

LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

CALIFORNIA. 

Class 

THE 


CAMPAIGN  LIVES 


ULYSSES  S."  GRANT, 


SCHUYLER  COLFAX. 


BY  GEN.  JAMES  S.  BRISBIN. 


CINCINNATI: 

C.  F.  VENT  &  CO.,  PUBLISHERS. 

CHICAGO:  J.  S.  GOODMAN  &  CO. 

18C3. 

I 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1868.  by 
C.  F.  VENT  &   CO., 

In  the  Clerk's  office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  for  the 
Southern  District  of  Ohio. 

STEREOTYPED  AT  TJIE   FKANKLI.N   TYPE  FOUNDRY,   CINCINNATI. 


PREFACE. 


AN  author's  first  book  must  necessarily  be  defective,  espe 
cially  if  that  book  be  written  about  events  in  which  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  persons  were  actors.  In  this  volume  I  have 
aimed  to  do  justice  only  to  two  characters.  If,  therefore,  sol 
diers  and  statesmen,  who  may  chance  to  read  it,  do  not  find  their 
own  names  recorded,  or  a  full  account  of  the  events  with  which 
they  were  connected  given,  let  them  remember  I  am  not  writing 
of  them  and  of  the  events,  only  so  far  as  they  relate  to  Grant 
and  Colfax. 

It  is  always  difficult  to  write  of  a  man  who  is  still  living,  fort 
whether  it  be  to  censure  or  praise  him,  the  writer  must  feel  more 
or  less  embarrassed.  Remembering  Lossing's  motto,  that  "  he 
who  writes  the  truth  should  write  all  of  it,"  I  have  endeavored 
to  gather,  from  every  possible  source,  such  information  concern 
ing  the  illustrious  General  Grant  as  would  be  of  interest  to  the 
reader ;  and  I  desire,  in  advance,  to  give  credit  to  Mr.  Larke, 
Abbott,  Badeau,  Reid,  General  Rawlins,  and  others,  for  such 
matter  as  I  have  used  from  their  books,  letters,  and  papers. 
A  number  of  officers,  who  served  with  General  Grant  in  Mexico 
and  Oregon,  and  several  of  his  personal  friends,  have  been  good 
enough  to  write  me  much  that  is  interesting  ;  and  to  them,  one 
and  all,  I  beg  leave,  in  this  public  manner,  to  return  my  sincere 
thanks. 

A  careful  investigation  of  all  the  facts  connected  with  the  life 
of  General  Grant  will  convince  any  impartial  person  that  he  is 
really  a  great  man.  Reason  as  we  may  on  his  career,  prove 


VIII  PRKFACK. 

that  at  but  few  limes  lie  has  shown  any  marked  evidence  of 
genius,  praise  his  subordinates  as  we  will,  still  he  stands  the 
first  soldier  of  his  country,  unique,  remarkable,  peculiar,  the 
study  of  a  nation.  Here  we  behold  a  man  silent,  modest,  un 
ambitious,  by  his  great  talents  in  times  of  public  danger,  heap 
ing  benefactions  on  his  country,  until  the  nation,  proud,  grateful, 
unanimous,  showers  upon  him  all  its  honors,  and  raises  him  to 
an  office  which  it  has  to  create  in  order  that  the  office  may  be 
worthy  of  the  man.  He,  the  poor  son  of  a  tanner,  unpretending, 
without  friends  or  influence,  until  his  deeds  had  won  both,  un 
used  to  the  world,  rises,  not  suddenly,  but  step  by  step,  in  spite 
of  the  machinations  of  enemies  and  jealousies  of  men  of  lesser 
talents,  to  the  head  of  our  armies,  and  there,  undazzled  by  his 
eminence,  unspoiled  by  his  honors,  strong  and  self-poised,  ex 
hibits  new  talents,  and  maintains  himself  with  so  great  credit 
that  his  fellow-citizens  lay  at  his  feet  the  crown  of  the  republic 
and  beg  him  to  wear  it,  not  to  honor  him,  but  to  honor  them. 

Before  he  was  forty-three  years  of  age  he  had  participated  in 
two  great  wars,  captured  five  hundred  guns,  more  than  one  hun 
dred  thousand  prisoners,  a  quarter  of  a  million  of  small  arms, 
redeemed  from  rebel  rule  over  fifty  thousand  square  miles  of 
territory,  re-opened  to  the  commerce  of  the  world  the  mightiest 
river  on  the  globe,  and  stubbornly  pursued  his  path  to  victory, 
despite  of  all  obstacles.  Since  then,  he  has  crushed  out  the  re 
bellion  in  the  East,  reestablished  the  authority  of  the  Union 
over  a  territory  larger  than  France,  taken  two  hundred  battle- 
flags,  scores  of  canon,  thousands  upon  thousands  of  prisoners, 
and  hundreds  of  thousands  of  small  arms,  and  then  modestly 
returned  to  the  capital  of  the  nation,  to  disband  his  army  of  a 
million  of  men,  lay  his  sword  at  the  feet  of  the  Congress  of  the 
people,  and  wait  their  pleasure  whether  he  should  fill  a  high 
station  or  become  an  humble  private  citizen.  The  world  fur 
nishes  few  such  examples  of  greatness  and  humility,  and  our 
country  only  one  other — that  of  George  Washington. 

"Will  any  reasonable  man  say  all  these  events  in  the  life  of 
(Irant  are  the  result  of  accident  or  mere  good  luck?  Surely  to 


I'M  K  IMC  K.  i\ 

assert  that  would  be  as  foolish  as  unjust,  and  subject  the  person 
to  the  jeers  and  contempt  of  the  world.  His  acts  are  the  result 
of  great  wisdom  and  talents,  and  not  the  caprice  of  fortune. 
Consider  his  tribulations  at  Shiloh,  his  toils  at  Vieksburg,  his 
battles  of  the  Wilderness,  his  siege  of  Petersburg  and  capture 
of  Lee,  his  conduct  in  the  difficult  Cabinet  position  forced  upon 
him  by  the  President,  and,  lastly,  his  measures  during  the  im 
peachment  excitement.  When  our  President  was  bursting  with 
rage;  when  the  War  Minister  was  hedged  about  with  bayonets; 
when  the  country  was  trembling  from  center  to  circumference 
with  excitement ;  when  the  Executive  and  the  Congress  seemed 
about  to  call  out  under  arms  their  respective  partisans  and  in 
augurate  another  civil  war,  to  whom  did  the  people  look  with 
confidence  and  hope  ?  Ulysses  Grant,  and  none  other.  Un 
moved  by  the  tempest  of  passion  raging  over  the  land,  conscious 
of  his  own  strength  and  ability  to  control  the  storm,  he  sat 
calmly  and  serenely  in  his  head-quarters,  now  receiving  anxious 
inquiries  from  the  President's  friends,  and  anon  receiving  a 
delegation  of  grave  but  excited  Senators,  assuring  all,  nay,  con 
vincing  all  that  the  republic  was  safe.  Was  this  accident,  or 
greatness  ?  If  not  greatness,  why  did  not  seme  other  man  of 
the  hundred  great  men  in  the  capital  calm  the  elements  and 
give  confidence  to  the  country  ?  If  an  accident,  it  was  such  a 
one  as  retrieved  the  misfortunes  of  Shiloh,  stormed  the  fortresses 
of  Vieksburg,  pushed  Lee  from  the  Wilderness,  and  finally  broke 
his  sword  at  Five  Forks. 

Some  men  are  born  great,  others  have  greatness  thrust  upon 
them,  while  others  again  wring  greatness  from  the  world.  To 
the  latter  class  emphatically  belongs  Ulysses  Grant ;  and  yet  it 
may  with  truth  be  said  that  he  belongs  to  the  second  class,  for, 
being  as  modest  as  he  was  great,  he  claimed  nothing  for  his 
services,  and  honors  and  greatness  had  to  be  thrust  upon  him. 
I  am  nobody's  puffer.  I  do  not  say  these  things  of  Grant  to 
bring  him  out  for  the  Presidency,  for  to  commend  him  to  the 
American  people  would  be  like  recommending  Alexander,  or 
Cassar,  or  Napoleon,  to  historians  as  subjects  worthy  of  their 


X  PREFACE. 

consideration.  I  do  not  say  them  for  the  purpose  of  currying 
favor  with  Grant,  or  for  any  selfish  or  improper  reason,  but  I 
utter  them  because  I  believe  them  to  be  true,  because  I  think 
Grant  a  great  and  good  man,  because  I  admire  him  as  a 'soldier 
and  statesman,  and  feel  grateful  to  him  for  reestablishing  the 
Union  of  these  States,  and  thus  preserving  for  me  and  my  chil 
dren  the  Government  which  the  fathers  founded.  What  Wash 
ington  established,  he,  with  his  mighty  sword,  has  preserved ; 
and  hereafter  the  names  of  Washington  and  Grant  will  stand 
side  by  side,  and,  in  marble  and  brass,  fill  every  niche  of  our 
country's  fame  to  the  latest  posterity. 

Of  the  other  person  named  in  this  volume,  I  need  only  say 
that  he  has  been  in  the  civil  department  of  the  Government 
what  General  Grant  has  been  in  the  military — as  eminent  in 
legislation  as  he  in  war.  A  young  man  of  brilliant  talents,  an 
eminent  statesman,  the  purity  of  whose  public  and  private  char 
acter  has  made  his  name  a  word  of  honor  throughout  the  land, 
he  of  all  men  is  fittest  to  be  associated  in  high  honor  and  power 
with  the  illustrious  hero  of  the  age.  Bespeaking  for  my  work 
the  liberal  treatment  of  critics,  with  serious  misgivings  I  launch 
it  upon  the  public,'  conscious  that  it  is  not  without  defects. 

THE  AUTHOR. 
LEXINGTON,  KY.,  July  1st,  1868. 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTION. 

(Page  17-23). 


CHAPTER    I. 

(Page  24-28). 

GRANT'S  ANCESTORS — HIS  PARENTS — WHERE  AND  WHEN  HE  WAS  BORN — 

ANECDOTES  OF  GRANT HIS  FIRST  PISTOL-SHOT—HE  GOES  TO  SCHOOL  AT 

GEORGETOWN WHAT   HE    SAID   TO    HIS    TEACHER THE    BUMBLE-BEE 

FIGHTER GRANT  BUYS  A  HORSE  OF  FARMER  RALSTON — HE  THRASHES 

HIS  COUSIN  JOHN  FOR  CALLING  WASHINGTON  A  REBEL MORE  ANECDOTES 

ABOUT  GRANT — HE  SWIMS  WHITE  OAK  CREEK  IN  A  WAGON — HOW  HE 

FLANKED  THE  LOGS MR.  HAMER  GETS  HIM  AN  APPOINTMENT  TO  WEST 

POINT HIS  ENTREE  INTO  THAT  INSTITUTION. 


CHAPTER    II. 

(Page  29—47). 

GRANT  AS  A  CADET  AT  WEST  POINT — HIS  PROGRESS  IN  fHE  CLASSES — HE 

GRADUATES  NO.  21  IN  A  CLASS  OF  THIRTY-NINE WHO  GRADUATED  IN 

GRANT'S  CLASS,  AND  WHAT  BECAME  OF  THEM — WHAT  GRANT  LOOKED 

LIKE  WHEN  HE  LEFT  WEST  POINT ANECDOTE  OF  THE  HERO HE  FALLS 

IN  LOVE  WITH  MISS  JULIA  DENT IS  ORDERED  OFF  TO  MEXICO PARTICI 
PATES  IN  THE  BATTLES  OF  PALO  ALTO  AND  RESACA  DE  LA  PALMA IS 

APPOINTED    QUARTERMASTER DISTINGUISHES    HIMSELF   AT   CHEPULTE- 

PEC WHAT  THE  OFFICIAL  REPORTS  SAY  OF  HIM HIS  OLD  COMRADES  IN 

MEXICO,  AND  WHAT  BECAME  OF  THEM — RETURNS  FROM  THE  MEXICAN  WAR 
AND  MARRIES. 


1  '2  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   III. 

(Page  48—63.) 

GRANT  AND   CHANDLER GRANT    IS    STATIONED  AT    DETROIT  AND    SACKETT's 

HARBOR — GOES  TO  CALIFORNIA  AND  THENCE  TO  OREGON— GARRISON  LIFE 

ON    THE    FRONTIER — HE    IS  APPOINTED  A  FULL    CAPTAIN RESIGNS   FROM 

THE  ARMY  AND  RETURNS    TO    ST.    LOUIS BECOMES  A  FARMER — SKETCHES 

OF    GRANT    IN    CIVIL    LIFE GOES    INTO    THE    REAL    ESTATE  AND  AUCTION 
EERING   BUSINESS — MOVES  TO  GALENA,  ILLINOIS — RAISES  A  COMPANY  FOR 

THE     WAR IS     APPOINTED     COLONEL     OF     THE     TWENTY-FIRST     ILLINOIS 

INFANTRY. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

(Page  64-83.) 

GRANT  AS  A  COLONEL — IS  ASSIGNED  TO  COMMAND  OF  A  BRIGADE — IS  AP 
POINTED  BRIGADIER-GENERAL,  AND  ASSIGNED  TO  COMMAND  AT  CAIRO 

GRANT'S  ENEMIES — HE  CUTS  THE  NEUTRALITY  KNOT  IN  KENTUCKY — 

CAPTURE  OF  PADUCAH- — THE  BATTLE  OF  BELMONT WHY  THAT  BATTLE 

WAS   FOUGHT — THE    EXPEDITION    INTO    KENTUCKY — PREPARATIONS    TO 

ATTACK  FORT  HENRY FALL  OF  FORT  HENRY PREPARATIONS  TO  ATTACK 

FORT  DONELSON — rCAPTURE  OF  FORT  DONELSON — REJOICING  OF  THE  PF.O- 

_PLE GRANT  PROMOTED  BY  THE  PRESIDENT  TO  MAJOR-GENERAL NEW 

DISTRICT  CREATED  FOR  HIM — HE  GETS  UNDER  A  CLOUD — IS  RELIEVED 
FROM  HIS  DISGRACE — PREPARATIONS  FOR  THE  BATTE  OF  SIULOH. 


CHAPTER   V. 

(Page  84—99.) 

GRANT  RECEIVES  A  HANDSOME  PRESENT GRANT  AT  SAVANNAH GENERAL 

C.  F.  SMITH    AND  GRANT COMPOSITION    OF    THE    TWO  ARMIES THE    BAT 
TLE-FIELD    OF    SHILOH — POSITION     OF    THE    TROOPS A.     S.     JOHNSTON'S 

ADDRESS    TO    HIS     SOLDIERS — SKIRMISHING    BEFORE     THE     BATTLE THE 

BATTLE CONDUCT    OF    LEWIS    WALLACE    AND    NELSON BUELL    ARRIVES 

ON    THE   FIELD — WHAT  HE   SAID  TO   GRANT — THE    SECOND  DAY?S   BATTLE 

GRANT    AND    THE    FIRST    OHIO    REGIMENT THE    NEW   YORK    HERALD* S 

ACCOUNT  OF  THE  BATTLE — REJOICING  OVER  THE  NEWS COMPLIMENTARY 

ORDER   TO  GRANT  AND  BUET.L GRANTS   CONDUCT  IN  THE  BATTLE. 


CONTEXTS.  13 

CHAPTER    VI. 

(Page  100-117.) 

HALLECK  ASSUMES  COMMAND  OF  THE  ARMY — GRANT  S  ENEMIES  AGAIN  BUSY — 
WASIIBURN'S  DEFENSE  OF  HIM — ADVANCE  ON  CORINTH — DIGGING  AND 

DITCHING LETTERS  FROM  A  UNION  SOLDIER— ELLIOT* S  RAID — PURSUIT 

OF  THE  ENEMY  FROM  CORINTH GRANT' S  POSITION— HE  IS  PLACED  IN 

COMMAND  OF  THE  DISTRICT  OF  TENNESSEE — HALLECK  SUCCEEDS  M'CLEL- 

LAN— GRANT  AND  THE  REBELS— GRANT  AND  THE  NEWSPAPERS HOW  HE 

TREATED  GUERRILLAS PRICE' S  RAID ADVANCE  ON  IUKA THE  BAT 
TLE — DEFEAT  AND  ESCAPE  OF  THE  REBELS — BATTLE  OF  CORINTH DE 
FEAT  AND  RETREAT  OF  THE  REBELS— GRANTS  CONGRATULATORY  ORDER 
TO  HIS  ARMY — MR.  LINCOLN'S  DISPATCH. 


CHiYPTER    VII. 

(Page  118-134.) 

CHARACTER  OF  GRANT— HALLECK  AND  GRANT  COMPARED— OPENING  OF  THE 

MISSISSIPPI — ADVANCE  TO  GRAND  JUNCTION— COLONEL  LEfi's  RAID — 
GRANT'S  ADMINISTRATIVE  ABILITY — HE  ESTABLISHES  CONTRABAND  CAMPS 

SEVERITY  OF   HIS   DISCIPLINE — THE   COTTON   TRADE— ANECDOTE   OF 

GRANT— GRANT  AND  THE  JEWS HE  REDUCES  THE  BAGGAGE  OF  HIS 

ARMY— ADVANCE  ON  VICKSBURG — SURRENDER  OF  HOLLY  SPRINGS — 
GRANT  FALLS  BACK ORGANIZATION  OF  HIS  ARMY SHERMAN'S  EXPEDI 
TION  AGAINST  VICKSBURG — REPULSE  OF  SHERMAN — FULL  ACCOUNT  OF 

THE  FIRST  ATTACK  ON  VICKSBURG CAPTURE  OF  ARKANSAS  POST — GRANT 

DETERMINED  TO  CAPTURE  VICKSBURG HIS  TELEGRAM  TO  HALLECK. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

(Page  185— W9.) 
THE  PRESIDENT'S  EMANCIPATION  PROCLAMATION — GRANT  ENFORCES   THE 

POLICY  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT— YOUNG* S  -POINT THE  WILLIAMS  CANAL 

ROUNDABOUT   BAYOU  EXPEDITION MOON   LAKE YAZOO   PASS  EXPEDI 
TION — ADMIRAL  FARRAGUT — ADMIRAL  PORTER — M?CLERNAND's  MARCH — 

RUNNING  THE  BATTERIES GRIERSON  AND  HATCH'S  RAID — BATTLE  OF 

PORT  GIBSON — GRANT'S  FIGHTING  APPEARANCE — EVACUATION  OF  GRAND 
GULF — PERPLEXING  SITUATION  OF  GRANT-— HIS  PLANS  DISAPPROVED  BY 

THE    PRESIDENT    AND    HALLKCK PEMBERTON    AND    JOHNSTON    MARCH 

AGAINST  HIM — BATTLE  OF  RAYMOND — ADVANCE  ON  JACKSON — PRELIMI 
NARY  MOVEMENTS — GRANT  LEADS  THE  ADVANCE  IN  PERSON  AND  ON  FOOT. 


14  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    IX. 

(Page  150—162.) 

PKMBERTON    DECEIVED    BY    GRANT — DEFEAT    OF    JOHNSTON — CAPTURE    OF 
JACKSON — DESTRUCTION   OF   REBEL   PROPERTY — JOHNSTON  DECEIVED   BY 

GRANT MEETING    OF   SHERMAN,   GRANT   AND    M'PHERSON  AT    THE    STATE 

CAPITAL ADVANCE  ON  PEMBERTON — BATTLE  OF  CHAMPION  HILLS DE 
TAILS  OF  THE  BATTLE RETREAT  OF  PE3IBERTON SHERMAN'S  OPINION 

OF  THE  CAMPAIGN — GRANTS  REPLY — FIRST  ASSAULT  ON  VICKSBURG — 
DETAILS  OF  THE  ACTION — THE  NAVAL  OPERATIONS  ON  THE  RIVER COM 
MUNICATION  WITH  GRANT  ESTABLISHED — IIAINES'  BLUFF  SEIZED  FOR  A 
NEW  BASE — PREPARATIONS  FOR  THE  SIEGE. 


CHAPTER   X. 

(Page  16&-190.) 

SECOND  ATTACK  ON  TICKSBURG — FULL  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  BATTLE — MISUN 
DERSTANDING  BETWEEN  GRANT  AND  M'CLERNAND POSITION  OF  THE 

ARMY — PEMBERTON'S  ADDRESS — SHERMAN'S  EXPEDITION — THE  MINES 
AT  VICKSBURG TERRIFIC  EXPLOSION  OF  A  MINE FIGHT  IN  THE  CRA 
TER — PEMBERTON  GIVES  UP  THE  GHOST HIS  LETTERS  TO  GRANT THEIR 

INTERVIEW — GRANT'S  LETTERS  TO  PEMBERTON — SURRENDER  OF  THE 
REBEL  GARRISON — ADVANCE  OF  THE  UNION  TROOPS  INTO  VICKSBURG — 
GRANT  AT  PEMBERTON'S  HEAD-QUARTERS — IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  SURREN 
DER  OF  VICKSBURG LINCOLN'S  LETTER  TO  GRANT. 


CHAPTER    XI 

(Page  191—212.)    * 

PREPARATIONS    TO    ATTACK    JOHNSTON SURRENDER   OF  PORT   HUDSON — IN 
VESTMENT    OF    JACKSON — JEFF.    DAVIS*    LIBRARY JOHNSTON'S    ADDRESS 

TO     HIS    ARMY RETREAT    OF     THE    REBELS GRANT     AND     THE      REBEL 

MAJOR HIS  TREATMENT  OF  SUBORDINATE  OFFICERS FRIENDSHIP  BE 
TWEEN  GRANT  AND  SHERMAN MRS.  GRANT  VISITS  HER  HUSBAND 

ANECDOTE  OF  MRS.  GRANT GRANT  AND  HIS  SOLDIERS ADMINISTRATIVE 

ABILITY    OF  GRANT HONORS    TO  GRANT   AT    MEMPHIS — REVIEW   AT    NEW 

ORLEANS — TERRIBLE  ACCIDENT  TO  GRANT — HE  IS  APPOINTED  TO  A  NEW 
COMMAND — VISITS  LOUISVILLE — HIS  NEW  ARMY  AND  GENERALS — BRAGG's 
FORCES — THE  CHATTANOOGA  CAMPAIGN. 


CONTENTS.  1,5 

CHAPTER    XII. 

(Page  213-238.) 

CHATTANOOGA — THE    UNION    ARMY — THE   REBEL   ARMY — BRAGG*  S   BLUNDER 

—WHAT  JEFF  DAVIS   SAID HOOKER'S    BATTLE  ON  THE   28TH    OF  OCTOBER 

BURNSIDE    SHUT    UP     IN     KNOXVILLE HOOKER'S    BATTLE    ABOVE    THE 

CLOUDS — FULL     ACCOUNT    OF    SHERMAN'S    ADVANCE THRILLING    BATTLE 

SCENES GENERAL  GRANT  IN  BATTLE DEFEAT  OF  BRAGG — GRANT'S  PUR 
SUIT — FIGHT     AT    RINGGOLD — HEROIC    CONDUCT    OF    GRANT — "WHAT     HIS 

STAFF   OFFICERS    SAY    OF    HIM SHERMAN    REACHES    KNOXVfLi.E DEFEAT 

AND  RETREAT  OF  LONGSTREET — END  OF  THE  CHATTANOOGA  CAMPAIGN 

CONGRATULATIONS  AND  REJOICING. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

(Page  239—252.) 
GRANT'S  VICTORIES — VOTE  OF  THANKS  BY  CONGRESS — BILL  TO  REVIVE  THE 


GRADE     OF      LIEUTENANT-GENERAL A     MEDAL     GIVEN     HIM— APPOINTED 

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL    AND    ASSUMES    COMMAND    OF    THE    ARMY HONORS 

TO    GENERAL    GRANT HE  RECEIVES    VALUABLE    PRESENTS— THE  OLD  SOI- 

DIER'S  GIFT GRANT    VISITS    NASHVILLE    AND   KNOXVILLE CROSSES    THE 

CUMBERLAND  MOUNTAINS  ON  HORSEBACK HIS  RECEPTION  AT  LEXINGTON, 

KENTUCKY — VISIT  TO  LOUISVILLE — HONORS  AT  MEMPHIS — A  GRAND  DIN 
NER — SERENADE  TO  GRANT,  AND  HIS  SPEECHES — GRANT  LEAVES  THE 
WEST — HIS  LETTER  TO  SHERMAN,  AND  SHERMAN'S  REPLY — HIS  VISIT  TO 
M'ASHINGTON — THE  PRESIDENT  PRESENTS  HIM  HIS  COMMISSION  AS  LIEU 
TENANT-GENERAL. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

(Page  253—209.) 

GRANT  IN  HIS  NEW  COMMAND THE  REBEL  CHIEFTAIN  LEE GRANTS  COM 
BINATIONS ALL  READY  TO  ADVANCE BATTLES  OF  THE  WILDERNESS 

GALLANTRY  OF  CRAWFORD — DEATH  OF  WADSWORTII HANCOCK'S  FIGHT 
ING — DEATH  OF  SEDGWICK BATTLE  OF  SPOTTSYLVANIA  COURT-HOUSE 

CAPTURK  OF  A  REBEL  DIVISION  AND  TWO  REBEL  GENERALS BUIlNSIDE's 

BATTLES FORWARD  ALONG  THE  WHOLE  LINE ANECDOTES  OF  GRANT 

BATTLE  OF  COLD  HARBOR ORDER  OF  BATTLE— TERRIBLE  FIGHTING — 

CROSSING  THE  JAMES— ASSAULTS  ON  PETERSBURG—  INVESTMENT  OF  THE 
CITY — THE  SIEGE  BEGUN — PRESIDENT  LINCOLN'S  1  ETTER  TO  GRANT — 
GRANT'S  REPLY. 


]  6  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XV. 

(Page  270-280.) 

SIGEL   RELIEVED HUNTER    IN    THE   VALLEY BATTLE    ON    NORTH   RIVER 

BRILLIANT  SUCCESS  OF  HUNTER — HIS  DEFEAT  NEAR  LYNCHBURG — SHER 
IDAN  AT  DEEP  BOTTOM — HE  MARCHES  TO  WITHIN  TWELVE  MILES  OF 
RICHMOND — COLONEL  PLEASANTS'  MINE — THE  EXPLOSION — SUCCESS  OF 

THE  MINE FAILURE  OF  THE  TROOPS FIGHTING  IN  THE  CRATER — EARLY?S 

ADVANCE  ON  WASHINGTON GREGG'S  ATTACK  ON  THE  WELDON  RAIL 
ROAD — IIBAVY  FIGHTING SHERIDAN  IN  THE  VALLEY — BATTLE  OF  OPE- 

QUAN DEFEAT  OF  SHERIDAN'S    FORCES    BY    EARLY — SHERIDAN'S  RIDE 

HE  REGAINS  THE  BATTLE GRANT'S  PRAISE  OF  SHERIDAN— THE  PRESI 
DENT'S  LETTER  TO  HIM HE  IS  MADE  A  MAJOR-GENERAL  IN  THE  REGULAR 

ARMY — SHERMAN'S  MARCH  TO  THE  SEA. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

(Page  231-305.) 

THE    SITUATION BEGINNING    OF    THE    END — ANECDOTES   OF    GRANT SHER 
IDAN    LOOSE     AGAIN INTERVIEW     BETWEEN     LINCOLN,     GRANT,     MEADE, 

SHERIDAN,    AND    SHERMAN ADVANCE   OF    THE    FIFTH    CORPS SHERIDAN 

AT    FIVE    FORKS CAPTURE    OF    PETERSBURG ADVANCE   OF   THE   ARMY 

THE  FIGHTING FALL  OF  RICHMOND THE  REBEL  RAMS  BLOWN  UP— COR 
RESPONDENCE  BETWEEN   GRANT  AND  LEE SHERIDAN   AT   THE   APPOMAT- 

TOX INTERVIEW    BETWEEN    GRANT    AND    LEE TERMS    OF    SURRENDER 

PROPOSED — LEE  SURRENDERS  HIS  ARMY — SCENES  OF   THE   SURRENDER — 

FORM  OF  PAROLE — NUMBER  OF  PRISONERS  TAKEN  BY  GRANT SHERMAN'S 

MOVEMENTS THE  END — THE  MARCH   HOMEWARD — REVIEW  AT  WASHING 
TON — GRANT  TAKES   LEAVE   OF  HIS  ARMY GRANT  AT  HOME. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

(Page  306— 31G.) 

THE  GRADE  OF  GENERAL — GRANT  COMMISSIONED  A  GENERAL — HIS  PERSONAL 

APPEARANCE,  HABITS,  MANNERS,  CONDUCT,  AND  DRESS GRANT  IN  BATTLE 

— HIS  MILITARY  FAME — HIS  KINDNESS  OF  HEART — DEATH  OF  COLONEL 
O'MEARA — A  PLEASANT  LETTER — THE  OLD  SOLDIER  AND  GRANT — ANEC 
DOTE  OF  STANTON  AND  LINCOLN GRANT'S  RELIANCE  UPON  DIVINE  PROVI- 

DEXCE-— -HIS  TREATMENT  OF  SUBORDINATE  OFFICERS — WHAT  HE  SAID  OF 
.SHERMAN,  THOMAS,  SHERIDAN.  ANT)  OTHERS — ANECDOTE  OF  GRANT — HIS 
JUSTK.'K — A  CANDIDATE  FOR  THE  PRESIDENCY. 


CONTENTS.  1 7 

CHAPTER   XVIII. 

(Page  317-325.) 

SOLDIERS    AND   SAILORS'   NATIONAL  CONVENTION  AT  CHICAGO — THE  PROCES 
SION — THE   EAGLE   "  OLD    ABE" THE    HALL THE    SCENES CONVENTION 

CALLED    TO    ORDER GOVERNOR    FAIRCHILD    TEMPORARY    CHAIRMAN HIS 

SPEECH — THE    COMMITTEES — GOVERNOR   HAWLEY's  SPEECH REMARKS  OF 

GENERALS  SICKLES,  HALSTEAD,  AND  OTHERS — PERMANENT  ORGANIZATION 
GENERAL  LOGANT>S  REMARKS GRANT'S  FATHER HIS  SPEECH AD 
DRESSES  BY  GENERAL  COCHRANE,  MAJOR  HAGGERTY,  AND  o'cONNER 

COLONEL  STOKES,  OF  TENNESSEE THE  RESOLUTIONS — GRANT  UNANI 
MOUSLY  NOMINATED  BY  HIS  COMRADES  FOR  PRESIDENT GREAT  ENTHU 
SIASM THE  LARGEST  DELEGATED  CONVENTION  EVER  ASSEMBLED AD 
JOURNMENT  OF  THE  CONVENTION. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

(Page  326-31-1.) 

NATIONAL    REPUBLICAN   CONVENTION  AT  CHICAGO GENERAL  SCHURTZ  MADE 

TEMPORARY  CHAIRMAN — HIS  SPEECH PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  CONVENTION 

THE  COMMITTEES— PERMANENT    ORGANIZATION SPEECH  OF  GOVERNOR 

HAWLEY — SOLDIERS  RECEIVED ELOQUENT  SPEECH  BY  GOVERNOR  FAIR- 
CHILD — SECOND  DAY'S  PROCEEDINGS — THE  PLATFORM — ADDITIONAL  RES 
OLUTIONS — LOGAN'S  SPEECH — GENERAL  GRANT  UNANIMOUSLY  NOMI 
NATED THE  VOTE  BY  STATES — THE  ANNOUNCEMENT WILD  SCENES  IN 

THE  CONVENTION — THE  EFFECT  OF  THE  NOMINATION  UPON  THE  PEOPLE 

NOMINATION  OF  A  VICE-PRESIDENT. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

(Page  345—352.) 

HOW  GENERAL  GRANT  RECEIVED  THE  NEWS  OF  HIS  NOMINATION THE  EN 
THUSIASM  IN  WASHINGTON PROCESSIONS — ADDRESS  TO  GENERAL  GRANT 

BY  GOVERNOR  BOUTWELL — GRANT'S    REPLY RECEPTION    OF   THE   SOL- 

DIERS'  AND  SAILORS'  COMMITTEE — PRESENTATION  BY  COLONEL  ALLEMAN 
— GRANT'S  REPLY — RECEPTION  AT  GRANT'S  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  EVENING 
— PRESENTATION  OF  THE  REPUBLICAN  NATIONAL  CONVENTION'S  RESOLU 
TIONS  BY  GOVERNOR  HAWLEY — ABLE  SPEECH  BY  HAWLEY GENERAL 

GRANT'S  REPLY — GRANT  FORMALLY  ACCEPTS  THE  REPUBLICAN  NOMINA 
TION—CONCLUSION.  ' 

9 


SCHUYLER    COLFAX. 


CHAPTER    I. 

(Page  355-356.) 

BIRTH  AND  PARENTAGE  OF  COLFAX — DEATH  OF  HIS  FATHER — POVERTY  AND 
EARLY  STRUGGLES  OF  THE  FAMILY — HIS  EDUCATION  AND  HABITS — HIS 

MOTHER  MARRIES  MR.  MATTHEWS — SCHUYLER  A  CLERK THEY  REMOVE 

TO  INDIANA — COLFAX  DRIVES  A  WAGON  ACROSS  MICHIGAN — HIS  STEP 
FATHER  SETTLES  AT  NEW  CARLISLE COLFAX  A  CLERK  AGAIN — THE 

"STORE  AND  POST-OFFICE" — YOUNG  COLFAX  AS  AN  ORACLE — HIS  FIRST 

ACQUAINTANCE  WITH  HON.  JOHN  D.  DEFREES A  FRIEND  IN  NEED GOES 

TO  SOUTH  BEND — READS  LAW — IS  DEPUTY  COUNTY  AUDITOR THE  MOOT 

LEGISLATURE — WRITES  FOR  THE   NEWSPAPERS IS  APPOINTED   SENATE 

REPORTER — ESTABLISHES  ?IIE  VALLEY  REGISTER,  AND  BECOMES  AN  EDI 
TOR — HIS  POVERTY  AND  STRUGGLES  SUCCEEDS  AT  LAST HIS  POPULARITY 

WITH  THE  PEOPLE HELPS  TO  FRAME  THE  CONSTITUTION  OF  INDIANA — 

OPPOSITION  TO  THE  BLACK  LAWS IS   NOMINATED  FOR  CONGRESS HIS 

DEFEAT IS  A  DELEGATE  TO  THE  NATIONAL  CONVENTIONS  OF  1848  AND 

1852,  AND  VOTES  FOR  TAYLOR  AND  SCOTT — HIS  POLITICS — PURITY  OF 
HIS  CHARACTER — IS  RENOMINATED  AND  TRIUMPHANTLY  ELECTED  TO  CON 
GRESS BEGINS  HIS  LEGISLATIVE  CAREER. 


CHAPTER  n. 

(Page  360-372.) 

COLFAX    AS    AN    ODD-FELLOW — HIS    ENTRANCE     INTO     CONGRESS SUPPORTS 

BANKS    FOR    THE    SPEAKERSHIP — HIS    FIRST    SPEECH    IN    CONGRESS IS    A 

MEMBER    OF    IMPORTANT    COMMITTEES ENTERS    THE    PRESIDENTIAL    CAM 
PAIGN  OF  1856 IS  RE-ELECTED   TO  CONGRESS HIS   IMMENSE    POPULARITY 

IS  ELECTED  SPEAKER  OF  THE  XXXVIII  CONGRESS — SUPPORTS    THE   WAR 

— MR.    COLFAX  S   VIEWS   ON    THE   NATIONAL   ENTERPRISES — HE   SUPPORTS 

(19) 


20  ^CONTENTS. 

LINCOLN — MR.   LINCOLN'S  FRIENDSHIP  FOR    HIM — COLFAX   ON  THE  STUMP 

IS    AGAIN    RE-ELECTED    TO    CONGRESS RE-ELECTED    SPEAKER    OF    THE 

XXXIX  CONGRESS HIS  POPULARITY   IN  THE    HOUSE — THE   BEST    SPEAKER 

SINCE     CLAY REMARKABLE    ABILITY    OF    MR.    COLFAX    AS    A    PRESIDING 

OFFICER.  . 

CHAPTER    III. 

(Page  373-388.) 

PERSONAL    MANNERS    OF    MR.    COLFAX WHY    THE    WOMEN    LIKE    HIM HIS 

WIFE MR.  COLFAX    AT    HOME HIS    RECEPTIONS — WHY   THEY  ARE   POPU 
LAR— COLFAX    AND    HIS    MOTHER A    GOOD     SON GRANT   AND    COLFAX 

EARLY    STRUGGLES    AND    POVERTY    OF    COLFAX SUPPER    TO    HIM   BY   THE 

PRESS    OF    WASHINGTON HIS    REMARKS — COLFAX  AS    A    POLITICIAN HIS 

TALENTS — GRANT    SAFE    FROM    ASSASSINATION    IF    COLFAX    IS    VICE-PRESI 
DENT — COLFAX' s  SPEECHES — HIS  PIETY — COLFAX  AT  SOUTH  BEND — WHAT 

HIS    NEIGHBORS    THINK  OF  HIM A   TEMPERANCE    MAN — HIS    LIBERALITY 

AND    SUPPORT    OF    GOOD    CAUSES — PERSONAL    APPEARANCE — ANECDOTE 

COLFAX  IN   HIS  OFFICE HIS  RECORD. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

(Page  389-402.) 
THE     CHICAGO     CONVENTION  —  NOMINATIONS     FOR  VICE-PRESIDENT  —  MR. 

PIERCE' s  SPEECH — -MR.  CLAFLIN'S  SPEECH — HON.  HENRY  LANE'S  SPEECH 

SPEECH     OF     MR.    CUTCHESON — REMARKS    OF    FRED.    HASSAUREK,    CARL 

SCHURTZ,  JUDGE  JONES,  ALEXANDER  M'CLURE,   AND  OTHERS HONS.   BEN. 

WADE,    COLFAX,    WILSON,    FENTON,    HAMLIN,    IIARLIN,    CURTIN,    POMEROY 
SPEED,   CUES  WELL,  AND  KELLEY  NOMINATED  FOR  VICE-PRESIDENT — FIRST 

BALLOT SECOND    BALLOT THIRD    BALLOT FOURTH    BALLOT FIFTH 

BALLOT COLFAX  DECLARED  THE   UNANIMOUS  NOMINEE    OF    THE    CONVEN 
TION — THE  ENTII USI ASM ADJOURNMENT. 


CHAPTER    V. 

(Page  403—411.) 

HOW     MR.     COLFAX     RECEIVED      HIS     NOMINATION GREETINGS     FROM    'HIS 

BROTHER    MEMBERS THE    CROWD    AT    THE    CAPITOL SERENADE    TO    MR. 

COLFAX REPRESENTATIVE     PIKE'S    REMARKS — MR.     COLFAx's     SPEECH 

RECEPTION    OF    THE    SOLDIER' S    COMMITTEE — THE    SPEECHES — RECEPTION 

OF  THE  REPUBLICAN  COMMITTEE SPEECH  OF  GOVERNOR  HAWLEY REPLY 

OF    SPEAKER    COLFAX — HIS    FORMAL    LETTER   OF  ACCEPTANCE — GENERAL 
REMARKS — THE  END. 


LIFE  OF  ULYSSES  S.  GRANT. 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  23 


CHAPTER    I. 

GRANT'S  ANCESTORS — HIS  PARENTS — WHERE  AND  WHEN  HE  WAS  BORN — 

ANECDOTES  OF  GRANT HIS  FIRST  PISTOL-SHOT — HE  GOES  TO  SCHOOL  AT 

GEORGETOWN WHAT  HE   SAID  TO   HIS   TEACHER THE   BUMBLE-BEE 

FIGHTER GRANT  BUYS  A  HORSE  OF  FARMER  RALSTON^-HE  THRASHES 

HIS  COUSIN  JOHN  FOR  CALLING  WASHINGTON  A  REBEL MORE  ANECDOTES 

ABOUT  GRANT — HE  SWIMS  WHITE  OAK  CREEK  IN  A  WAGON HOW  HE 

FLANKED    THE    LOGS MR.    HAMER    GETS    HIM    AN    APPOINTMENT  TO  WEST 

POINT HIS  ENTREE  INTO  THAT  INSTITUTION. 

ULYSSES  S.  GRANT  was  born  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio, 
about  twenty-five  miles  above  Cincinnati,  at  the  village  of 
Point  Pleasant,  in  the  county  of  Clermont,  on  the  27th  day 
of  April,  1822.  In  this  country  it  is  of  little  consequence 
who  a  man's  ancestors  were,  or  whether,  in  fact,  he  had  any 
at  all;  but  as  a  matter  of  gratification  to  the  curious,  it  may 
be  recorded  that  Grant's  great  grandfather,  Noah  Grant, 
commanded  a  company  of  white  and  black  men,  in  1756, 
and  fell  at  the  battle  of  White  Plains,  as  also  did  his  brother, 
Solomon  Grant.  The  General's  grandfather  was  a  lieuten 
ant  under  Washington,  and  fought  from  the  beginning  to  the 
close  of  the  Revolutionary  War.  The  father  of  General 
Grant  was  born  in  Westmoreland  County,  Pennsylvania, 
January  23, 1794,  and  is  still  living  at  Covington,  Kentucky. 
He  learned  the  tanning  business  with  his  half-brother,  at 
Maysville,  Kentucky,  and  in  1820  settled  at  Point  Pleasant, 
Ohio,  where  he  set  up  his  trade,  and  soon  afterward  married 
Miss  Hannah  Simpson,  the  mother  of  General  Grant,  who 
is  still  living. 

Grant  had  five  brothers,  and  sisterg.  -One  brother  and  one 


24  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

sister,  both  single,  died  of  consumption  during  the  late  war; 
j)f  the  others,  a  brother  lives  in  Chicago,  another  in  Galena, 
and  the  younger  sister  at  Covington,  with  her  father.  Many 
stories  are  told  of  the  precociousness  of  Ulysses,  and  his 
father  thinks  Grant  was  a  great  little  boy;  indeed,  he  would 
be  a  poor  father  if  he  did  not,  but  remembering  the  fate  of 
our  bee-fighter,  we  hesitate  about  relating  these  anecdotes. 
Reid  is  responsible  for  the  following : 

"The  absence  of  fear  was  always  a  characteristic  of 
Ulysses.  When  two  years  of  age,  while  Mr.  Grant  was 
carrying  Ulysses  in  his  arms  through  the  village  on  a  public 
occasion,  a  young  man  wished  to  try  the  effect  of  a  pistol 
report  on  the  child;  Mr.  Grant  consented,  saying,  'The  boy 
never  saw  a  pistol  or  gun  before  in  his  life.' 

"The  baby  hand  was  put  on  the  lock,  and  the  tiny  finger 
curled  around  the  trigger  and  pressed  upon  it  until  the 
hammer  fell,  and  the  charge  exploded  with  a  loud  report. 
Ulysses  hardly  stirred,  but  delighted  with  the  loud  noise  the 
powder  had  made,  pushed  the  pistol  away,  and,  clapping  his 
hands,  cried,  'fick  again;  fick  again/  A  bystander  said, 
4  That  boy  will  make  a  general  some  day,  he  neither  winked 
nor  dodged.'  None  will  question  but  that  the  prediction 
has  been  verified;  and  this  man,  if  living,  can  safely  claim 
precedence  over  Mr.  Washburne  in  having  discovered  the 
military  talents  of  General  Grant." 

While  Grant  was  still  a  lad,  his  parents,  who  were  then 
living  at  Georgetown,  in  Brown  County,  Ohio,  sent  him  to 
the  village  school,  and  from  all  we  can  learn,  the  future  con 
queror  was  considered  a  dull  boy ;  but  Larke  tells  the  fol 
lowing  anecdote  of  him  during  this  period : 

"  One  day  Grant  was  puzzling  his  brains  over  a  sum  in 
arithmetic,  when  the  teacher  came  along,  and  seeing  his 
perplexed  look,  said  to  him,  kindly : 

"'Well,  Ulysses,  car't  you  master  it?' 


LIFE   OF    GRANT.  25 

"  '  Can't !'  returned  Grant, <  what  does  that  mean  ?' 

"'Why,  why,  when  we  can't  do  a  thing,  we  say  we  can't,"' 
replied  the  teacher.  The  class  had  been  studying  definitions, 
arid  Grant  took  up  his  dictionary,  and  after  looking  through 
it  for  some  time,  said,  'I  can't  find  it;  there  is  no  such 
word  in  my  book.'  The  teacher  was  so  struck  with  the 
boy's  reply,  that  he  commended  him  for  it,  and  wound  up 
by  saying,  '  You  are  quite  right,  Ulysses,  and  if,  in  the  fu 
ture  struggles  of  your  life,  any  one  asserts  that  you  can't 
do  a  thing  that  you  have  set  your  mind  to  do,  and  which 
is  lawful  and  right,  tell  them,  as  you  have  me  to-day,  that 
there  is  no  such  word  in  your  dictionary.'  It  is  said,  that 
Grant  never  forgot  the  lesson  of  his  instructor,  and  that  his 
reply  to  Pembertori  and  Lee,  was  only  his  old  answer  to  his 
teacher,  in  another  form." 

Abbott  tells  the  following  story  about  Grant:  "When 
Ulysses  was  twelve  years  old  his  father  sent  him  to  a  neigh 
boring  farmer  lo  buy  a  horse  which  he  had  been  bargaining 
for.  Before  Ulysses  started,  his  father  said  to  him : 

"  'You  can  tell  Mr.  Ralston  that  I  have  sent  you  to  buy 
the  horse,  and  that  I  will  give  him  §50  for  it.  If  he  will 
not  take  that,  you  may  offer  him  §55,  and  rather  than  come 
away  without  him,  give  Mr.  Ralston  §60  for  the  horse.' 

"Ulysses,  getting  the  matter  right  in  his  mind,  set  out, 
but  on  arriving  at  Mr.  Ralston's,  his  plans  for  bartering 
were  knocked  out  of  balance  by  Mr.  Ralston  asking  him 
directly,  'How  much  did  your  father  say  you  might  give 
for  the  horse  ?' 

"  Grant's  mother  had  told  him  he  must  never  tell  a  lie, 
and  believing  it  would  be  wrong  to  prevaricate  in  this  case, 
he  replied : 

"'Father  told  me  to  oifer  you  §50;  if  that  would  not  do, 
to  give  you  §55,  and  that  he  would  be  willing  to  give  §60 
rather  than  not  get  the  horse.'  '  Well,'  replied  farmer 


~t>  LTFK    OF    GRANT. 

Ralston,  '  I  can  not  sell  the  horse  for  less  than  sixty  dol 
lars.'  'I  am  sorry  for  that/  was  the  rejoinder  of  young 
Grant,  *  for  since  I  have  seen  the  horse,  although  father 
said  I  might,  I  have  determined  not  to  give  more  than  $50 
for  him.' 

"  Mr.  Ralston  took  the  fifty  dollars  and  Grant  rode  the 
horse  home." 

Mr.  Grant  had  a  brother  who  had  settled  in  Canada,  and 
as  there  was  no  school  in  the  neighborhood,  he  sent  his  son 
John  over  to  Georgetown  to  board  with  his  uncle  and  go 
to  school  with  Ulysses.  The  Canadian  youth  was  strongly 
tinctured  with  British  prejudices,  and  one  day  the  conver 
sation  turned  upon  Washington,  when  John  denounced  the 
father  of  his  country  as  "  a  rebel  who  had  fought  against 
his  king." 

Ulysses  had  been  taught  by  his  mother  to  revere  the 
character  of  Washington,  and  was  indignant  at  the  irrever 
ent  language  of  his  cousin.  The  boys  soon  came  to  blows, 
and  after  pulling  hair  and  pummeling  each  other  for  some 
time,  Jack  came  off  with  a  bloody  nose  and  Ulysses  with  a 
black  eye.  On  reaching  home,  Mrs.  Grant  desired  to  have 
her  boy  punished  for  fighting,  and  called  in  his  father,  but 
after  hearing  the  case,  the  old  gentleman  said,  "Wife,  I  tell 
thee  the  boy  must  not  be  whipped,  he  has  done  nothing  but 
stand  up  for  his  country,  and  no  boy  should  be  punished 
for  fighting  in  defense  of  his  native  land,  and  Washington." 

Years  after  this,  when  the  boys  had  grown  to  be  men, 
they  met  in  Canada,  and  John  said  to  Ulysses,  "  Do  you 
remember  the  thrashing  you  gave  me  for  calling  Washington 
a  rebel?" 

"Yes,"  replied  Ulysses,  "and  you  can  get  a  fight  out  of 
me -again,  John,  on  that  question." 

Grant's  father  tells  us,  that  in  his  early  boyhood,  Ulys 
ses  manifested  the  same  fondness  for  horses  that  is  still 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  27 

characteristic  of  him.  Ho  was  always  sure  to  go  to  the 
circuses  that  came  around,  and  invariably  volunteered  to 
ride  the  vicious  mule — sometime  succeeding,  despite  the 
animal's  tricks,  to  the  no  small  amusement  of  the  spectators 
and  annoyance  of  the  showman.  He  imitated  the  circus 
men,  riding  the  horses  to  water,  standing  on  their  backs, 
and  thus  became  a  proficient  horseman  long  before  he  en 
tered  West  Point. 

Young  Grant  was  fond  of  driving  horses,  and  frequently 
hauled  loads  of  passengers  from  Georgetown  to  the  neigh 
boring  villages  and  back.  He  would  always  rather  drive 
team  than  work  in  the  tannery  of  his  father,  and  from  the 
first  seemed  determined  never  to  be  a  tanner. 

Grant  was  a  brave  lad,  and  early  manifested  an  indomi 
table  will.  His  father  relates  the  following  anecdote  of 
him : 

"One  day  Ulysses  was  coming  from  Augusta,  Ky.,  to 
Georgetown,  with  some  young  ladies  in  his  wagon.  It  had 
been  raining,  and  the  water  in  the  Ohio  had  backed  into 
the  tributary  streams.  Grant's  route  lay  across  White  Oak 
Creek,  and,  not  knowing  the  depth  of  the  water,  he  drove 
in,  when  the  wagon  went  down  and  the  horses  commenced 
swimming.  The  young  ladies  were  terribly  frightened,  and 
commenced  screaming,  thinking  they  would  surely  all  be 
drowned;  but  Grant,  with  great  presence  of  mind,  steered 
his  horses  toward  the  opposite  bank,  saying,  coolly,  c  Keep 
still,  girls ;  I  will  take  you  through  safe.'  Ulysses  was  only 
about  thirteen  years  old  when  this  happened." 

One  day  Ulysses  was  sent  to  the  woods  to  haul  some 
logs,  when,  finding  the  choppers  gone,  he  hitched  a  horse 
to  the  logs,  and  dragging  them  to  a  tree  that  had  fallen 
partly  down,  drew  them  up  the  slanting  tree,  and  then  back 
ing  the  wagon  under,  pulled  them  over  into  the  bed.  This 
was  considerable  of  a  flank  movement  for  a  lad  of  fourteen. 


28  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

Ulysses  one  day  said  to  his  father,  when  they  were  work 
ing  together  in  the  tannery:  "Father,  this  tannery  business 
is  not  the  kind  of  work  I  like.  I  will  work  at  it,  to  please 
you,  until  I  am  twenty-one,  but  I  will  never  follow  it  another 
day  after  that." 

Mr.  Grant,  with  great  good  sense,  said  :  "  No,  my  son ; 
I  do  not  wish  you  to  work  at  any  thing  that  is  distasteful  to 
you.  I  want  you  to  work  at  what  you  like,  and  stick  to  it. 
Now,  what  do  you  think  you  would  like  to  do  ?"  * 

"I  would  like  to  be  a  farmer,  a  down  the  river  trader, 
or  get  an  education,"  replied  Ulysses. 

"How  would  you  like  to  go  to  West  Point  and  learn  to 
be  a  soldier  ?"  said  his  father. 

"  First  rate,"  ans.wered  Ulysses,  "  that  would  suit  me  ex 
actly." 

Mr.  Grant  immediately  wrote  to  Mr.  Morris,  then  a 
Senator  in  Congress  from  Ohio,  asking  him  if  there  was  any 
vacancy  at  West  Point  which  he  could  control.  Senator 
Morris  replied  at  once  that  there  was  a  vacancy  from  the 
congressional  district  in  which  Mr.  Grant  lived — the  young 
man  who  had  been  appointed  having  failed  to  pass  his  ex 
amination.  Mr.  Grant  wrote  to  Hon.  Thomas  L.  Hamer, 
the  Representative  then  in  Congress  from  the  district,  ask 
ing  him  to  appoint  his  son  Ulysses.  Mr.  Hamer  received 
the  letter  the  night  before  his  term  expired,  and  at  once 
appointed  young  Grant. 

Grant's  right  name  was  Hiram  Ulysses,  but  as  his  father, 
in  his  letter,  only  called  him  Ulysses,  and  Mr.  Hamer 
knowing  his  mother's  name  was  Simpson,  wrote  it  Ulysses 
Simpson  Grant,  and  as  such  the  letter  of  appointment  was 
issued  to  him  from  the  War  Department,  and  the  authori 
ties  would  never  afterward  change  it. 

Grant  entered  West  Point  in  the  spring  of  1839,  at  the 
age  of  seventeen. 


LIFE   OF    GRANT.  29 


CHAPTER    II. 

URANT  AS  A  CADET  AT  "WEST  POINT — HIS  PROGRESS  IN  TIIE  CLASSES — HE 
GRADUATES  NO.  21  IN  A  CLASS  OF  THIRTY-NINE — WHO  GRADUATED  IN 
GRANT'S  CLASS,  AND  WHAT  BECAME  OP  THEM — WHAT  GRANT  LOOKED 

LIKE  WHEN  HE  LEFT  WEST  POINT ANECDOTE  OF  THE  HERO HE  FALLS 

IN  LOVE  WITH  MISS  JULIA  DENT IS  ORDERED  OFF  TO  MEXICO — PARTICI 
PATES  IN  THE  BATTLES  OF  PALO  ALTO  AND  RESACA  DE  LA  PALMA IS 

APPOINTED    QUARTERMASTER DISTINGUISHES    HIMSELF   AT   CHEPULTE- 

PEC WHAT  THE  OFFICIAL  REPORTS  SAY  OF  HIM HIS  OLD  COMRADES  IN 

MEXICO,  AND  WHAT  BECAME  OF  THEM RETURNS  FROM  THE  MEXICAN  WAR 

AND  MARRIES. 

THE  life  of  a  "plebe"  at  West  Point  is,  to  say  the  least 
of  it,  not  pleasant.  The  brutal  practices  indulged  in  by  the 
older  students  have  long  been  a  matter  of  terror  to  young 
men  joining  the  academy,  and  he  who  expects  to  avoid  the 
mischievous  jokes  of  the  seniors  reckons  without  his  host. 
The  predecessor  of  Grant  having  failed  to  pass  the  requisite 
examination,  our  young  hero  reached  the  Point  full  of  fears 
and  misgivings  as  to  his  ability  to  go  through  the  ordeal  of 
the  board.  He  knew  his  opportunities  had  been  poor,  that 
he  possessed  little  knowledge,  and,  the  more  he  thought  over 
it,  the  more  probable  seemed  his  rejection. 

While  he  was  racked  with  the  horrible  feelings  of  suspense 
his  tormentors  began.  The  first  night  Grant  was  at  the  Point 
a  cadet,  dressed  as  an  officer,  entered  his  room,  and,  after 
some  conversation,  gave  him  a  lesson  of  twenty  pages  of 
printed  matter  to  commit  to  memory  by  morning.  Ulysses 
dove  into  it,  but  soon  gave  up  in  despair,  and  retired  to  bed, 
while  other  boys  sat  up  all  night  endeavoring  to  master  their 


80  LIFE   OF   GRANT. 

hard  tasks.  After  a  sleepless  night  the  boys  were  surprised, 
the  next  morning,  to  find  that  the  lesson  was  not  called  for, 
and,  as  the  day  wore  on,  they  began  to  suspect  they  had 
been  made  the  victims  of  a  joke.  The  sight  of  these  youths, 
book  in  hand,  waiting  nervously  for  hours  until  the  professors 
should  summon  them  to  recitation,  must,  indeed,  have  been 
amusing  to  the  older  students. 

Grant  passed  a  fair  examination,  but  not  so  good  as  the 
boys  from  the  large  towns  and  cities,  who  had  enjoyed  better 
school  advantages.  The  General  is  now  the  head  of  the 
army,  and,  as  such,  the  "Father  of  the  Point;"  and  let  us 
here  ask  him  to  remember,  sometimes,  the  days  when  he  was 
young  Ulysses,  and,  when  a  poor  country  youth  fails  to  pass 
his  first  examination,  give  him  another  chance,  just  for  the 
sake  of  the  days  of  "auld  lang  syne." 

Grant  entered  the  fourth  class  of  1839,  and,  during  the 
year,  studied  English  grammar,  rhetoric,  mathematics,  geog 
raphy,  composition,  declamation,  French,  and  tactics.  Pie 
made  good  progress,  but  was  not  brilliant. 

As  is  well  known,  the  cadets  have  to  camp  out  during  part 
of  the  year,  and  go  through  all  the  mock  usages  of  camp  life 
in  time  of  war.  Ulysses  seems  to  have  liked  this  as  the  best 
part  of  his  cadet  experience,  and  it  is  said  he  always  pre 
ferred  the  tents  on  the  field  to  quarters  in  the  barracks. 

During  1840,  our  young  soldier  entered  the  third  class, 
where  he  studied  cavalry  tactics,  and  continued  the,  other 
studies  of  the  fourth  class.  The  only  thing  that  can  be  said 
of  him  during  this  year  is  that  he  showed  considerable  pluck 
and  pertinacity  of  purpose.  He  had  entered  the  class  low 
down,  and,  after  holding  on  steadily  for  awhile,  advanced  a 
file,  and  soon  another,  always  holding  on  to  what  he  got. 
There  were  several  young  men  in  the  class  who  were  more 
brilliant  than  Grant,  but  hardly  one  except  him  who  did 
not  fluctuate,  sometimes  advancing,  and  then  falling  back 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  31 

again.  At  the  close  of  this  year  he  was  commissioned  a 
corporal. 

In  1841,  he  entered  the  second  class,  and  studied  experi 
mental  philosophy,  chemistry,  drawing,  horsemanship,  in 
fantry  and  artillery  tactics,  and*rose  to  the  high  dignity  of  a 
sergeant  of  cadets. 

An  officer,  who  was  at  that  time  a  member  of  the  Military 
Academy,  thus  describes  Grant: 

"I  remember  him  well.  He  was  a  small,  tiny-looking  little 
fellow,  with  an  independent  air  about  him,  and  a  good  deal  of 
determination.  It  is  a  long  time  ago,  but  when  I  recall  old 
scenes  I  can  still  see  Grant,  with  his  overalls  strapped  down 
on  his  boots,  standing  in  front  of  the  quarters.  It  seems  as 
though  it  were  but  yesterday  that  I  saw  him  going  to  the 
riding  hall,  with  his  spurs  clanging  on  the  ground,  and  his 
great  cavalry  sword  dangling  by  his  side.  It  is  twenty-seven 
years  since,  and  I  am  growing  old  now,  but  it  is  wonderful 
what  a  short  time  it  seems  since  I  was  a  young  man,  and  saw 
the  famous  soldier,  then  a  mere  stripling  lad,  at  the  Point." 

During  1842,  Grant  entered  the  first  class  of  the  Military 
Academy,  and  took  rank  as  a  commissioned  officer  of  cadets. 
He  commanded  sometimes  a  section  of  a  battery,  sometimes 
a  troop,  and  then,  again,  a  company  of  foot,  and  seems  to 
have  been  well  liked  and  respected  by  those  who  served  under 
him.  All  the  cadets  still  living  of  Grant's  company  agree  that 
he  was  a  fair,  upright,  and  kind-hearted  young  man,  never 
playing  the  petty  tyrant  or  acting  the  spy  on  his  subordi 
nates,  as  young  cadets  who  find  themselves  for  the  first  time 
dressed  in  a  little  brief  authority  too  often  do.  His  studies, 
during  this  year,  were  laborious  and  difficult,  including  eth 
ics,  constitutional  law,  international  law,  military  law,  and 
practical,  civil,  and  military  engineering.  In  the  fall  ho 
camped  out  again  with  his  company,  and,  although  a  pretty 
strict  officer  while  on  duty,  he  seems  to  have  been  a  jolly 


32  LIFE   OF    GRANT. 

f 

fellow  round  the  camp-fire,  and  much  liked  by  his  comrades. 
During  his  last  year,  Grant  made  an  effort  to  obtain  some 
knowledge  of  the  science  of  mineralogy  and  geology,  and 
the  Spanish  language,  but  he  made  only  tolerable  progress. 

On  the  30th  day  of  June,  1843,  Grant  passed  his  final 
examination,  and  graduated  from  the  Military  Academy  in 
a  class  of  thirty-nine,  standing  No.  21,  or  about  the  middle 
of  the  class. 

It  is  said  that  the  companions  of  a  man's  youth  nearly 
always  exercise  a  controlling  influence  over  his  after  life, 
and,  if  his  fortunes  be  great,  are  sure  to  share  with  him  his 
honors  and  authority.  In  this  view  of  the  case  we  ought, 
perhaps,  to  state  who  Grant's  comrades  were,  where  they 
are,  and,  if  still  living,  what  they  are  now  doing. 

The  names  of  the  young  men  who  graduated  at  the  Mil 
itary  Academy,  in  1843,  in  the  class  with  Grant,  were: 

1.  William  B.  Franklin;  2.  George  Deshon;  3.  Thomas 
Brereton;  4.  John  H.  Grelaud;  5.  W.  P.  Raynolds  (not 
Reynolds);  6.  Isaac  F.  Quimby;  7.  Roswell  S.  Ripley;  8. 
John  J.  Peck;  9.  John  P.  Johnstone;  10.  Joseph  J.  Rey 
nolds.  The  name  of  the  next  graduate  does  not  appear. 

11.  James  A.  Hardie;  12.  Henry  F.  Clarke;  13.  

Booker;  14.  Samuel  G.  French;  15.  Theodore  L.  Chad- 
bourne;  16.  Christopher  C.  Auger;  17.  Franklin  Gardner; 
18.  George  Stevens;  19.  Edward  B.  Holloway;  20.  Louis 
Neill;  21.  Ulysses  S.  Grant;  22.  Joseph  H.  Potter;  23. 
Robert  Hazlitt;  24.  Boyer  Wood;  25.  William  K.  Van 
Bokelen.  The  next  four  graduates  do  not  appear.  30. 
Frederick  Steele;  31.  Henry  R.  Selden;  32.  Rufus  Ingalls; 
33.  Frederick  T.  Dent;  34.  J.  C.  McFerran;  35.  Henry 
M.  Judah;  36.  Norman  Elting;  37.  Cave  J.  Couts;  38. 
Charles  G.  Merchant;  39.  George  C.  McClelland. 

Of  these  men,  Deshon  was  assistant  professor  in  the 
Military  Academy  for  two  years,  and  when  he  resigned,  in 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  33 

1851,  was  ordnance  officer  at  Alleghany  Arsenal,  Pennsyl 
vania.  He  was  somewhat  noted  for  having  resigned  his 
commission  in  the  army  to  become  a  Roman  Catholic  priest. 
Brereton  was  brevetted  for  gallant  conduct  in  the  Mexican 
War,  and  resigned  after  a  continuous  and  highly  honorable 
service  of  over  fifteen  years.  Grelaud  died  a  captain  in  the 
Fourth  Artillery,  at  Fort  Meyers,  Florida,  in  1857. 

Franklin  entered  the  Topographical  Engineers,  fought 
through  the  Mexican  War,  became  a  major-general  under 
Grant,  and  is  now  living  in  civil  life.  Raynolds  entered  the 
infantry,  was  a  colonel  on  the  staff  of  Fremont  during  the 
war,  and,  we  believe,  is  now  dead.  Quimby  entered  the 
artillery,  was  a  professor  at  West  Point,  resigned,  and 
retired  to  civil  life,  but,  at  the  beginning  of  the  war,  re- 
entered  the  army,  was  a  brigadier-general  in  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  and  is  now  in  civil  life.  Ripley  entered  the 
artillery,  fought  in  the  Mexican  war,  wrote  a  book  to  injure 
General  Scott,  resigned  before  the  late  war,  and,  at  the 
opening  of  hostilities,  joined  the  rebel  army.  Peck  entered 
the  artillery,  resigned,  reentered  the  army  in  1861,  was  a 
major-general  in  the  Army  of  the  James,  and  is  now  in  civil 
life.  J.  J.  Reynolds  was  a  professor  at  the  Point,  became 
noted  for  his  knowledge  of  the  sciences,  resigned  before 
the  war,  reentered  the  service  in  1861,  became  a  major- 
general,  and  is  now  colonel  of  the  Twenty-sixth  Infantry, 
and  is  commanding  in  Texas.  He  is  an  able  man,  and  fit 
for  any  position  in  the  Government.  Jolmstone  entered  the 
artillery,  was  a  gallant  officer  in  Mexico,  and  fell  at  Con- 
treras.  Hardie  entered  the  artillery,  became  an  assistant 
adjutant-general  in  the  War  Department,  and  is  now  a 
colonel  in  the  inspector-general's  department,  and  lives  in 
Washington.  Clarke  entered  the  artillery,  served  with 
distinction  in  Mexico,  served  through  the  war  in  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  as  a  commissary,  and  is  now  a  lieutenant- 
3 


34  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

colonel  in  the  subsistence  department,  and  lives  in  Washing 
ton.  Booker,  who  stood  thirteenth  on  the  list  of  graduates, 
in  1843,  died,  while  a  lieutenant,  at  San  Antonio,  Texas, 
June  26,  1849.  French,  though  a  native  of  New  Jersey, 
deserted  the  United  States  Army,  in  1861,  entered  the 
rebellion,  and  became  a  major-general.  He  was  an  able 
man,  and  we  think  is  now  dead.  Chadbourne  was  killed  in 
the  battle  of  Resaca  de  la  Palma,  May  9,  1846,  and  was 
distinguished  for  his  bravery  and  coolness.  Gardner,  a 
native  of  New  York,  deserted  the  United  States  Army  in 
1861,  and  joined  the  rebellion.  lie  became  a  Confederate 
major-general,  and  surrendered  at  Port  Hudson,  July  9, 
1863.  The  last  time  we  saw  Franklin,  he  was  standing  in 
the  St.  Charles  Hotel,  at  New  Orleans,  looking  bloated  and 
very  seedy,  and  we  presume,  if  Louisiana  rum  has  n't  killed 
him,  he  is  still  living.  Auger  entered  the  Second  Infantry, 
became  a  major-general,  commanded  the  Department  of 
Washington  for  a  long  time,  is  colonel  of  the  Twelfth 
Infantry,  and  serving  with  his  regiment  in  the  West. 
Stevens  was  drowned,  in  the  passage  of  the  Rio  Grande, 
May,  1846.  Holloway,  of  Kentucky,  fought  through  the 
Mexican  War,  and  distinguished  himself  at  Contreras ;  he 
was  captain  of  infantry  at  the  beginning  of  the  war,  threw 
up  his  commission  and  joined  the  rebellion.  Neill,  who 
stood  just  above  Grant  on  the  list  of  graduates,  died,  January 
13,  1850,  while  in  service  at  Fort  Crogham,  Texas.  Potter, 
who  stood  next  after  Grant,  entered  the  Second  Infantry, 
was  a  brigadier-general  during  the  war,  is  now  a  lieutenant- 
colonel  of  the  Thirteenth  Infantry,  and  serving  with  his 
regiment.  Hazlitt  was  killed  at  the  storming  of  Monterey, 
September  21,  1846.  Lieutenant  Edwin  Howe,  of  whom 
we  find  some  account  as  graduating  in  1843,  in  the  class  with 
Grant,  and  who  died  at  Fort  Leavenworth,  March  31,  1850, 
was  probably  one  of  the  officers  whose  names  we  have  failed 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  35 

to  find  on  the  rolls,  and  stood  twenty-six  or  twenty-seven. 
Wood  left  the  army  several  years  before  the  rebellion,  but 
is,  we  believe,  still  living.  He  was  from  Virginia.  The 
name  of  Charles  S.  Hamilton  also  appears  on  the  list  of 
graduates  in  1843,  after  Woods ;  he  is  probably  one  of  the 
officers  whose  names  are  missing  on  the  rolls  of  the  army, 
and,  it  is  likely,  never  entered  the  service ;  he  stood  twenty- 
eight  or  twenty-nine  on  the  list,  was  a  major-general  of 
volunteers,  under  Grant,  commanded  for  a  time  a  district  in 
Tennessee,  resigned,  and  is  in  civil  life,  Bokelen  was  a 
native  of  New  York,  but  was  cashiered  for  embezzling  two 
hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  public  funds,  and  for  rebel 
proclivities.  The  name  of  Alfred  St.  Amand  de  Crozet,  of 
New  York,  appears  as  a  graduate  in  the  class  of  1843 ;  he 
died  at  the  Spencer  House,  in  Cincinnati,  April  28,  1855, 
a  first  lieutenant  in  the  Eighth  United  States  Infantry. 
Charles  E.  James  also  appears  among  the  graduates  of 
1843 ;  he  died  at  Sonora,  California,  June  8,  1849.  Steele, 
the  thirtieth  graduate  with  Grant,  entered  the  Second 
Infantry,  was  a  major  at  the  beginning  of  the  war,  became 
a  major-general  under  Grant,  was  with  him  at  Yicksburg, 
and  in  the  Mississippi  campaigns,  as  a  division  commander ; 
afterward  commanded  in  Arkansas,  was  appointed  colonel 
of  the  Twentieth  Infantry  when  the  army  was  reorgan 
ized,  and  died  a  month  or  two  since  in  California.  He  was 
an  able  and  gallant  officer,  and  much  beloved  and  trusted  by 
the  General  of  the  army.  Selden  entered  the  infantry,  and 
was  afterward  a  captain  in  the  Fifth  Regiment,  but  is  not 
now  in  the  service,  nor  is  it  known  what  became  of  him. 
Ingalls  entered  the  rifles,  was  a  major-general  during  the 
war,  and  quartermaster-general  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac; 
he  is  now  a  colonel  in  the  Quartermaster's  Department,  and 
lives  in  Washington.  Dent  entered  the  Fourth  Infantry, 
served  in  Mexico,  was  a  brigadier-general  during  the  war, 


36  LIFE    OF    Gil  A  XT. 

is  now  major  of  the  Fourteenth  Infantry,  and  on  the  staff 
of  General  Grant,  who  married  his  sister.  McFerran  entered 
the  Third  Infantry,  was  a  quartermaster  during  the  war,  is 
now  a  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  Quartermaster's  Depart 
ment,  and  lives  at  Washington.  Judah  entered  the  infantry, 
was  a  brigadier-general  during  the  war,  and  commanded  a 
division  of  the  Twenty-third  Army  Corps,  in  Kentucky,  for 
some  time ;  he  is  now  dead.  Elting  resigned  the  service 
October  29,  1846 ;  it  is  not  known  whether  he  is  living  or 
dead.  Gouts  resigned  soon  after  graduating,  and,  in  the 
year  1849,  was  a  member  of  the  California  State  Constitu 
tional  Convention ;  it  is  not  known  whether  he  is  living  or 
dead.  Merchant  resigned  soon  after  graduating,  and,  we 
believe,  is  still  living  in  New  York  city.  George  C.  Mc 
Clelland,  of  Pennsylvania,  was  the  last  graduate,  and  is 
not  now  in  service. 

It  is  interesting  to  look  over  the  list  and  see  how  the 
twenty-first  graduate  has  outstripped  all  the  rest;  and  when 
we  remember  that  their  chances  in  the  race  of  life  were 
equal,  if  not  better  than  his,  we  can  not  but  believe  that  it 
was  true  talent,  and  not  accident,  which  brought  Grant  to 
the  front,  and  gave  him  command  over  his  thirty-eight 
associates. 

Professor  Coppee,  in  his  history  of  the  rebellion,  thus 
describes  Grant  at  the  time  he  lefc  the  Military  Academy, 
in  1843.  He  says  : 

"I  had  the  honor  of  being  Grant's  comrade  at  West  Point 
for  two  years.  I  remember  him  as  a  plain,  straightforward, 
common-sense  youth;  quiet, rather  of  the  old-head-on-young- 
shoulders  order ;  shunning  notoriety ;  qui'te  contented  while 
others  were  grumbling;  taking  to  his  military  duties  in  a 
very  business-like  manner;  not  a  prominent  man  in  the 
corps,  but  respected  by  all,  and  very  popular  with  his  friends. 
His  sobriquet  of  '  Uncle  Sain,'  whore  every  good  fellow  has 


LIFE    OP    GRANT.  37 

a  nickname,  came  from  these  very  qualities  ;  indeed,  he 
was  a  very  Uncle  Sam-like  sort  of  a  youth.  He  was  then, 
and  always,  an  excellent  horseman,  and  his  picture  rises 
before  me  as  I  write,  in  an  old  torn  coat,  obsolescent,  leather, 
gig-top,  loose  riding  pantaloons.  He  exhibited  little  enthu 
siasm  in  any  thing.  His  best  standing  was  in  the  mathemat 
ical  branches  and  their  applications  to  tactics  and  military 
engineering." 

A  story  is  told  of  Grant  during  his  cadet  life  which  is 
worth  repeating  here,  as  it  is  characteristic  of  the  man. 
The  persecutions  of  his  seniors  were  very  annoying  to  him, 
and  Grant  believing  them  no  longer  tolerable,  had  made  up 
his  mind  to  fight.  One  day  when  the  company  was  on  mock- 
parade,  the  captain  put  some  insult  upon  him,  when  Grant 
stepped  suddenly  out  of  the  ranks,  pulled  off  his  jacket,  and 
said : 

"Now,  captain,  if  you  think  you  are  as  good  a  man  as 
I  am,  pull  off  your  coat  and  fight  me." 

The  captain  doffed  his  jacket,  and  at  it  they  went.  Grant 
was  the  smaller  of  the  t\vo,  but  he  got  the  captain  down 
and  pummeled  him  until  he  cried  enough. 

"  Now,"  said  Grant,  going  up  to  the  lieutenant,  "you 
have  been  imposing  on  me,  too,  and  I  want  a  settlement  with 
you." 

Such  a  challenge  was  not  to  be  declined,  and  the  lieu 
tenant  pitched  into  him,  but  Grant  knocked  him  down  and 
thrashed  him  soundly,  and  then  turning  to  the  company, 
said: 

"Who  comes  next?  I  want  peace,  and  I  am  going  to  have 
it,  if  I  have  to  lick  the  whole  company." 

At  this  his  comrades  set  up  a  shout,  and  the  captain 
coming  up  to  him,  said  :  "  You'll  do ;  I  guess  they  won't 
bother  you  any  more,  Grant." 

For  a  long  time  after  this  occurrence,  Grant  was  knowu 


38  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

at  the  Point  as  "  Company  Grant."  The  plucky  little  fel 
low  had  rid  himself  of  his  tormentors,  the  boys  never  after 
ward  attempting  to  run  any  of  their  jokes  on  him. 

When  Grant  left  the  Military  Academy,  he  took  the  ac 
customed  three  months'  leave  of  absence  granted  to  graduates, 
and  on  the  1st  day  of  July,  1843,  was  gazetted  for  the  Fourth 
Infantry,  and  attached  to  that  regiment  by  brevet.  In  the 
fall  of  the  year,  he  joined  his  regiment,  then  stationed  at 
Jefferson  Barracks,  Missouri.  Among  the  young  officers 
who  graduated  with  Grant,  and  who  were  assigned  to  the 
Fourth  Infantry,  was  his  class-mate,  Frederick  Dent.  Dent's 
parents  lived  about  four  miles  from  the  barracks,  and  as  he 
and  Grant  had  been  quite  intimate  at  the  Point,  it  was  but 
natural  that  he  should  invite  his  young  friend  to  visit  his  home. 
Here  it  was  Grant  saw,  for  the  first  time,  the  good  woman 
who  is  now  his  wife ;  he  soon  won  the  girlish  heart  of  Julia 
Dent,  and  they  became  engaged,  but  the  rising  troubles  in 
Mexico  caused  them  to  postpone  their  marriage,  and  Grant 
was  soon  afterward  ordered  off  with  his  regiment.  The 
leaving  of  a  sweetheart  behind  is  a  thing  that  often  hap 
pens  to  officers  in  the  army,  and  is  about  the  hardest  thing 
in  all  nature.  Often  have  we  seen  a  pale  Hamlet  stalking 
through  our  camp,  with  an  order  for  the  frontier  in  his 
pocket,  and  we  have  never  failed,  if  it  were  possible,  to  give 
the  poor  fellow  a  short  respite  from  his  torments.  Talk  of 
sickness  in  the  family,  the  death  of  a  father ;  these  things 
are  as  nothing  when  compared  with  the  great  grief  that  tears 
a  fond  fellow  from  a  pair  of  loving  arms.  Having  had  some 
experience  in  such  matters,  we  presume  that  Grant's  feel 
ings  were  any  thing  but  comfortable  when  leaving  his  Julia, 
to  take  the  chances  of  getting  his  head  knocked  off  in 
Mexico. 

The  Mexicans  and  Americans  had  for  some  time  held 
imaginary  boundary  lines  in  Texas,  and  the  disputes  daily 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  89 

arising  between  the  settlers  had  at  last  broken  out  into  open 
war.  Corpus  Christ!  had  been  seized  by  General  Taylor,  as 
a  base  of  operations,  and  thither  the  Fourth  Infantry  was 
hurried.  While  stationed  at  this  place,  Grant  received  his 
full  commission  as  second  lieutenant  in  the  Seventh  In 
fantry,  which  bears  date  of  September  30th,  1845,  but  hav 
ing  become  attached  to  the  officers  of  the  Fourth,  he 
determined  to  wait  for  a  vacancy  in  his  own  regiment,  and 
declined  to  accept  the  position  tendered  him  in  the  Seventh 
Regiment.  He  had  not  long,  however,  to  wait,  for,  on  the 
19th  of  November,  1845,  his  commission  reached  him  as  full 
second  lieutenant  in  the  Fourth  Infantry. 

War  had  not  yet  been  formally  declared  by  Congress 
against  Mexico,  but  the  matter  was  considered  settled ;  and 
General  Taylor,  hearing  that  a  large  force  of  Mexicans  was 
marching  toward  the  Rio  Grande,  with  the  avowed  inten 
tion  of  crossing  over,  and  driving  the  American  settlers 
out  of  Texas,  he  hastened  to  meet  them,  but  learning  that 
Fort  Brown  had  been  besieged,  he  changed  his  route,  and 
marched  to  the  relief  of  the  garrison.  In  Taylor's  command 
was  the  Fourth  Infantry,  and,  among  others  toiling  along  on 
foot  through  the  dreary  sand,  and  thinking  day  and  night 
of  his  sweetheart  in  the  far-off  States,  was  a  love-sick  lieu 
tenant,  named  Ulysses  Grant. 

On  the  8th  day  of  May,  1846,  the  Mexican  and  American 
forces  met  in  battle  at  Palo  Alto,  and  here,  for  the  first 
time,  Grant  smelt  powder  and  saw  war.  No  mention  is 
made  of  him  in  any  of  the  official  reports  ;  but  his  com 
panions  say  he  did  well,  and  won  the  good  opinion  of  his 
superiors.  Next  day  Taylor  followed  up  the  Mexicans  to 
Resaca  de  la  Palma,  and  fought  a  battle,  completely  routing 
the  enemy.  Here  again  we  find  no  official  mention  made 
of  Grant ;  but  his  comrades  say  he  behaved  with  great; 
gallantry, 


40  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

The  Mexicans,  in  full  retreat,  rushed  pell-mell  over  the 
Rio  Grande,  while  General  Taylor  marched  up  the  river, 
crossed  over  into  the  republic  of  New  Leon,  and  moved 
against  Monterey.  Meanwhile,  General  Scott  had  arrived 
at  Yera  Cruz,  and  ordered  a  portion  of  the  forces  on  the  Rio 
Grande  to  cooperate  with  him.  Among  the  regiments  sent 
down  was  the  Fourth  Infantry,  and  Grant  with  it  participated- 
in  the  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  which  surrendered  to  the  Ameri 
can  forces  on  the  29th  day  of  March,  1847. 

The  quartermaster,  commissary  and  adjutant  of  a  regiment 
are  always  selected  by  the  commanding  officer  from  the  most 
intelligent,  energetic,  trusty,  and  best  young  officers  in  the 
regiment;  and  Grant  must  already  have  obtained  -con 
siderable  standing,  and  attracted  the  notice  of  his  superiors, 
for  in  April,  1847,  he  was  appointed  quartermaster  of  the 
Fourth  Infantry. 

As  a  usual  thing,  quartermasters  do  not  fight  much,  but 
Grant  seems  to  have  been  an  exception  to  the  general  rule ; 
for  he  participated  in  all  the  battles  in  which  his  regiment 
was  engaged.  At  the  battle  of  Chepultepec,  on  the  13th  of 
September,  1847,  he  behaved  with  distinguished  gallantry, 
being  appointed  a  first  lieutenant  and  a  brevet  captain,  to 
date  from  the  day  of  the  battle.  In  his  report,  Captain 
Horace  Brooks,  who  commanded  a,  battery  of  the  Second 
Artillery  in  the  battle,  says  : 

"I  succeeded  in  reaching  the  fort  with  a  few  men.  Here 
Lieutenant  U.  S.  Grant  with  a  few  more  men  of  the  Fourth 
Infantry,  found  me,  and  by  a  joint  movement,  after  an  ob 
stinate  resistance,  a  strong  field  work  was  carried,  and  the 
enemy's  right  completely  turned." 

The  official  report  of  Major  Francis  Lee,  commanding 
the  Fourth  Infantry  in  the  battle  of  Chepultepec,  contains 
this  paragraph: 

<'At  the  first  barrier  the  enemy  was  in  strong  force,  which 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  41 

rendered  it  necessary  to  advance  with  caution.  This  was 
done  ;  and  when  the  head  of  the  battalion  was  within  short 
musket  range  of  the  barrier,  Lieutenant  Grant,  Fourth  In 
fantry,  and  Captain  Brooks,  Second  Artillery,  with  a  few 
men  of  their  respective  regiments,  by  a  handsome  movement 
to  the  left,  turned  the  right  flank  of  the  enemy,  and  the 
barrier  was  carried."  And  he  mentions  Lieutenant  Grant 
as  "  among  the  most  distinguished  for  his  zeal  and  activity," 
and  as  "  behaving  with  great  gallantry  on  both  the  13th  and 
the  14th."  Brevet  Colonel  John  Garland,  Grant's  brigade 
commander,  in  his  report  of  the  battle  of  Chepultepec,.  says  : 

"  The  rear  of  the  enemy  had  made  a  stand  behind  a 
breastwork  from  which  they  were  driven  by  detachments 
of  the  Second  Artillery,  under  Captain  Brooks,  and  the 
Fourth  Infantry,  under  Lieutenant  Ulysses  Grant,  supported 
by  other  regiments  of  the  division.  The  conflict  was  sharp 

but  decisive I  recognized  the  command  as  it 

came  up,  mounted  a  howitzer  on  the  top  of  a  convent, 
which,  under  the  direction  of  Lieutenant  Grant,  quarter 
master  of  the  Fourth  Infantry,  and  Lieutenant  Lendrum, 
of  the  Third  Artillery,  annoyed  the  enemy  considerably." 
...  In  closing  his  report,  Colonel  Garland  says  :  "I  must 
not  omit  to  call  attention  to  Lieutenant  Grant,  Fourth  In 
fantry,  who  acquitted  himself  most  nobly  upon  several  occa 
sions  under  my  own  observation." 

In  this  report  General  Garland  makes  particular  mention 
of  only  two  officers  besides  his  own  staff,  and  these  are  Lieu 
tenant  Grant  and  Captain  Brooks.  General  Worth,  in  his 
report  of  the  operations  of  the  army  on  the  16th  of  Sep 
tember,  speaks  highly  of  Lieutenant  Grant,  but  the  extract 
is  too  long  to  insert  here. 

Grant  participated  in  sixteen  battles  in  Mexico,  and  at  the 
close  of  the  war  returned  to  St.  Louis  with  his  regiment, 
and  in  1848  was  married  to  Miss  Julia  S.  Dent. 


42  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

We  must  now  turn  aside  again  from  the  straight  path  of 
our  narrative  to  make  some  mention  of  the  men  who  were 
General  Grant's  comrades  in  Mexico.  The  roster  of  his 
regiment,  the  Fourth  Infantry,  stood  at  that  time  as  fol 
lows  : 

Lieutenant-Colonel  John  Garland,  commanding  the  regi 
ment  and  brigade ;  brevetted  colonel  for  Resaca  de  la  Palma ; 
brevetted  brigadier  for  Cherubusco ;  severely  wounded  in  the 
capture  of  Mexico  City;  made  colonel  of  the  Eighth  Regular 
Infantry,  May,  1848,  and  died  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
June  5,  1861. 

Major  Francis  Lee,  brevetted  lieutenant- colonel  for  Cher 
ubusco  ;  brevetted  colonel  for  Molino  del  Rey ;  appointed 
colonel  of  Second  Regiment  Infantry,  October  18,  1855, 
and  died  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  January  19,  1859. 

Captain  George  W.  Allen,  brevetted  major  for  Florida 
war;  brevetted  lieutenant-colonel  for  Resaca  de  la  Palma; 
appointed  major  Second  United  States  Infantry,  and  died  at 
Vera  Cruz,  March  15,  1848. 

John  Page,  mortally  wounded  in  first  battle  of  Palo  Alto, 
and  died  July  12,  1846. 

William  M.  Graham,  brevetted  major  for  Florida  war; 
promoted  major  Second  United  States  Infantry,  February 
16,  1847;  appointed  lieutenant-colonel  Eleventh  Infantry; 
wounded  three  times  in  Mexico ;  killed  at  Molino  del  Rey, 
September  8,  1847. 

Pitcairn  Morrison,  brevetted  major  for  Resaca  de  la 
Palma;  promoted  major  Eighth  United  States  Infantry, 
September  26,  1847;  promoted  lieutenant-colonel  Seventh 
Infantry,  June  9,  1853;  promoted  colonel  Eighth  Infantry, 
June  6, 1861;  retired  from  active  service,  October  20, 1863; 
still  living,  but  over  seventy  years  old. 

George  A.  McCall,  brevetted  major  and  lieutenant-colonel 
for  Resaca  de  la  Palma;  appointed  in  the  Inspector-General's 


LIFE   OF   GRANT.  43 

Department,  with  the  rank  of  major;  resigned  April  29, 
1853;  reentered  service  April,  1861;  appointed  brigadier- 
general,  May  17,  1861;  appointed  major-general,  and  as 
signed  to  command  of  Pennsylvania  Reserve  Regiments ; 
resigned  March  31,  1863;  died  about  two  months  ago  in 
Pennsylvania. 

Gouverneur  Morris,  bre vetted  major  for  Resaca  de  la 
Palm  a;  promoted  major  Third  Infantry,  January  31,  1850; 
promoted  lieutenant-colonel  First  Infantry,  1857;  retired 
from  active  service,  September  9,  1861;  still  living,  but  very 
old  and  feeble. 

R.  C.  Buchanan,  brevetted  major  for  Resaca  de  la  Palma; 
brevetted  lieutenant-colonel  for  Molino  del  Rey;  appointed 
acting  inspector-general,  1848;  promoted  major  Fourth  In 
fantry,  September  9,  1851 ;  appointed  lieutenant-colonel 
Fourth  Infantry,  September  9,  1851;  appointed  brigadier, 
May,  1861,  but  was  too  old  to  take  the  field;  promoted  col 
onel  First  Regular  Infantry,  February  8,  1864;  is  still  liv 
ing,  and  at  present  in  command  of  the  Fifth  District,  in 
place  of  General  Hancock,  relieved. 

Charles  H.  Lamed,  brevetted  major  for  Resaca  de  la 
Palma;  drowned  in  Puget's  Sound,  near  Fort  Madison, 
Washington  Territory,  March  27,  1854. 

Benj-amin  Alvord,  brevetted  captain  for  Resaca  de  la 
Palma;  brevetted  major  for  National  Bridge;  appointed 
paymaster,  with  rank  of  major,  June  22,  1854;  appointed 
brigadier-general  volunteers,  1863;  appointed  brevet  major- 
general  in  the  regular  army,  April  9,  1865 ;  at  present  a 
major  in  the  Paymaster's  Department,  and  lives  in  Wash 


ington. 


Henry  L.  Scott,  appointed  aid-de-camp  and  assistant 
adjutant-general  on  General  Scott's  staff,  1847;  brevetted 
major  for  Cherubusco ;  brevetted  lieutenant-colonel  for  Che- 
pultepec;  appointed  special  aid  to  General  Scott,  March  7, 


44  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

1855;  retired  from  service,  October  30, 1861,  and  died  about 
two  years  ago  in  New  York  City. 

First  Lieutenant  Henry  Prince,  adjutant  of  the  Fourth 
Infantry,  1846;  brevetted  captain  for  Cherubusco;  severely 
wounded,  and  brevetted  major  for  Molino  del  Rey;  ap 
pointed  paymaster,  May  23,  1855;  appointed  brigadier- 
general  volunteers,  April  28,  1882;  commanded  a  division 
Twenty-third  Army  Corps,  during  the  rebellion;  brevetted 
a  brigadier  in  the  regular  army,  March  13,  1865;  is  at 
present  a  major  in  the  Pay  Department,  and  lives  in 
Washington. 

Charles  Haskins,  at  one  time  adjutant  Fourth  Infantry; 
killed  at  Monterey,  September  21,  1846. 

Richard  Graham,  mortally  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Mon 
terey,  September  21,  1846,  and  died  October  12,  1846. 

John  H.  Gore,  brevetted  captain  for  Cherubusco ;  bre 
vetted  major  for  Molino  del  Rey;  died  August  1,  1852,  in 
Bay  of  Panama,  New  Grenada. 

Richard  E.  Cochran,  killed  in  the  battle  of  Resaca  de  la 
Palma,  May  9,  1846. 

Theodore  II.  Porter,  killed  in  a  skirmish,  near  the  Rio 
Grande,  April  19,  1846. 

Sidney  Smith,  wounded  at  Molino  del  Rey;  mortally 
wounded  in  the  attack  upon  Mexico  City,  September  14, 
1847;  died  September  16,  1847. 

Granville  0.  Haller,  brevetted  captain  for  Molino  del  Rey; 
brevetted  major  for  Chepultepec ;  appointed  full  captain,  Jan 
uary,  1848;  appointed  major  Seventh  Infantry,  September 
25,  1861;  summarily  dismissed  from  service,  August,  1863. 

Henry  D.  Wallen,  wounded  at  Palo  Alto,  May  8,  1846; 
appointed  adjutant,  February,  1849;  promoted  captain, 
January  31,  18*50;  promoted  major  Seventh  Infantry,  No 
vember  25,  1861;  promoted  lieutenant-colonel,  July  30, 
1865;  is  at  present  commanding  Fort  Columbus,  New  York* 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  45 

Henderson  Ridgely,  appointed  assistant  adjutant-general 
to  General  Lane,  1846;  killed  at  Pass  Gaudalaxara,  Novem 
ber  24,  1847. 

Jenks  Beaman,  participated  in  the  battles  of  Palo  Alto 
and  Resaca  de  la  Palma;  commanded  his  company  in  the 
battle  of  Molino  del  Key;  died  at  Tampico,  May  6,  1848. 

**     SECOND    LIEUTENANTS. 

Christopher  R.  Perry,  fought  through  the  war ;  died  Octo 
ber  8,  1848,  on  his  road  home. 

C.  C.  Auger,  of  whom  some  account  is  given  elsewhere  in 
these  papers. 

Ulysses  S.  Grant,  the  subject  of  these  narratives. 

Henry  M.  Judah,  of  whom  mention  is  made  elsewhere. 

James  S.  Woods,  brevetted  first  lieutenant  for  Resaca  de 
la  Palma;  killed  at  Monterey,  September  21,  1846. 

Alexander  Hayes,  brevetted  first  lieutenant  for  Resaca  de 
la  Palma;  appointed  assistant  adjutant-general  to  General 
Lane,  1847;  resigned  April  12, 1848;  entered  the  volunteer 
service,  1861 ;  was  a  brigadier-general  in  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  and  fell,  we  think,  at  Gettysburg. 

Abraham  Lincoln,  wounded  at  Molino  del  Rey,  and  bre 
vetted  a  first  lieutenant;  died  at  Pilatka,  Florida,  April  15, 
1852. 

Thomas  J.  Montgomery,  commanded  his  company  at 
Cherubusco  and  Molino  del  Rey;  appointed  first  lieutenant, 
December,  1847;  appointed  captain,  March,  1854;  died  at 
Fort  Steilacoom,  Washington  Territory,  November  22, 1854. 

David  A.  Russell,  brevetted  first  lieutenant  for  the  Na 
tional  Bridge ;  remained  in  the  regular  army  until  the  begin 
ning  of  the  late  war;  appointed  a  brigadier-general  of 
volunteers;  served  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  as  a  divi 
sion  commander,  and  fell,  we  think,  at  Chancellorsville. 

Dclancy  Floyd  James,  brevetted  first  lieutenant  for  Mo- 


46  LIFE   OF   GRANT. 

lino  del  Rey*  was  lieutenant-colonel  (during  the  war)  of  the 
Nineteenth  United  States  Infantry;  is  at  present  colonel  of 
the  Sixth  United  States  Infantry,  and  serving  with  his  regi 
ment. 

Alexander  P.  Rodgers,  wounded  and  afterward  killed  at 
Chepultepec,  September  13,  1847. 

Maurice  Maloney,  brevetted  first  lieutenant  for  Molino  del 
Rey;  brevetted  captain  for  Chepultepec;  wounded  at  San 
Cosme  Gate,  September  13,  1847;  promoted  to  full  first 
lieutenant,  May,  1848;  promoted  captain,  November,  1854; 
promoted  major  First  United  States  Infantry,  September  16, 
1862;  promoted  lieutenant-colonel,  June  21,  1867,  and,  we 
believe,  is  at  present  serving  in  New  Orleans. 

Archibald  B.  Botts,  died,  January,  1847,  at  Camargo, 
Mexico. 

Thomas  R.  McConnell,  brevetted  first  lieutenant  for  Mo- 
lino  del  Rey;  brevetted  captain  for  Chepultepec;  promoted 
to  full  captain,  February,  1855;  resigned,  March  11,  1856, 
and,  if  not  dead,  is  in  civil  life. 

Edmund  Russell,  wounded  at  Cherubusco;  brevetted  first 
lieutenant  for  Molino  del  Rey;  killed  by  the  Indians,  near- 
Red  Bluff,  California,  March  24,  1853. 

Abbott,  in  his  "Life  of  Grant,"  tells  the  following  story, 
which  seems  to  be  well  authenticated: 

"At  Monterey,  the  brigade  with  which  Lieutenant  Grant 
served  had  pushed  its  way  into  the  heart  of  the  city.  The 
firing  was  heavy.  Suddenly  it  was  discovered  the  ammuni 
tion  was  running  out.  There  was  no  egress  from  the  peril 
ous  position  except  through  the  narrow  street,  the  houses 
on  one  side  of  which  were  held  by  the  Mexicans,  who  fired 
from  every  door  and  window.  General  Gardner  hesitated 
about  ordering  any  one  to  make  the  perilous  attempt  to  get 
out  for  ammunition.  Grant,  who  was  an  accomplished  horse 
man,  volunteered,  and,  throwing  himself  on  one  of  the  offi- 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  47 

cer's  horses,  he  put  the  animal  to  the  top  of  its  speed,  and 
on  approaching  the  Mexican  barricades  caught  his  foot  in 
the  crupper  of  the  saddle,  and,  grasping  the  mane  with  his 
hands,  hung  on  the  side  of  the  horse,  so  as  to  shield  his 
body,  passed  through  the  gauntlet  in  safety,  and  in  an  hour 
returned  with  a  wagon  loaded  with  ammunition." 

As  before  stated,  Grant,  after  the  Mexican  War,  returned 
to  St.  Louis  and  married  Miss  Dent.  Having  obtained  a 
short  leave  of  absence,  he  set  off  to  spend  his  honey-moon, 
and  here  we  leave  him  for  the  present. 


48  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


CHAPTER    III. 

GRANT  AND   CHANDLER — GRANT    IS    STATIONED  AT    DETROIT  AND    SACKETT's 

HARBOR GOES  TO  CALIFORNIA  AND  THENCE  TO  OREGON — GARRISON  LIFE 

ON    THE    FRONTIER — HE    IS  APPOINTED  A  FtJLL    CAPTAIN RESIGNS   FROM 

THE  ARMY  AND  RETURNS    TO    ST.   LOUIS BECOMES  A  FARMER — SKETCHES 

OF    GRANT    IN    CIVIL    LIFE GOES    INTO    THE    REAL    ESTATE  AND  AUCTION 
EERING    BUSINESS MOVES  TO  GALENA,  ILLINOIS — RAISES  A  COMPANY  FOR 

THE     WAR IS     APPOINTED     COLONEL     OF     THE     TWENTY-FIRST     ILLINOIS 

INFANTRY. 

AT  the  expiration  of  his  honey-moon  leave  of  absence, 
Grant  joined  his  regiment,  and  soon  afterward  went  with  it 
to  Detroit.  It  was  while  stationed  here  that  a  little  incident 
happened,  out  of  which  Grant's  Democratic  enemies  have 
manufactured  a  very  large  story.  In  the  Northern  cities, 
where  snow  and  ice  lie  on  the  ground  for  many  months  in 
the  year,  as  every  one  knows,  the  corporation  laws  require 
the  owners  of  property  to  keep  clear  their  pavements. 
Senator  Zechariah  Chandler,  then  a  merchant  in  Detroit, 
neglected  to  clear  the  ice  away  in  front  of  his  house,  and 
one  morning,  as  Grant  was  coining  into  town  from  the  fort, 
he  slipped  and  fell  on  Mr.  Chandler's  pavement,  and  hurt 
his  leg  severely.  Knowing  that  the  ice  should  have  been 
cleared  away,  and  enraged  by  his  hurt,  Grant  entered  a 
complaint  before  the  town  authorities  against  Chandler. 
The  case  came  up,  and  Grant  appeared  against  Chandler, 
and  testified  to  the'ice  being  on  the  pavement  in  violation 
of  the  city  laws.  Chandler,  in  person,  defended  his  case, 
and,  among  other  things,  asked  Grant  how  he  knew  there 
Was  ice  on  his  pavement.  "Why,  I  fell  on  it  and  hurt 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  49 

myself;  besides,  I  saw  it  as  I  drove  by  in  my  cutter," 
replied  Grant.  "Oh,  you  saw  it  as  you  fell  in  the  gutter, 
did  you,"  said  Chandler;  and  then,  to  mortify  Grant,  and 
pay  him  for  the  trouble  he  had  given,  Chandler  continued: 
"If  you  soldiers  would  keep  sober,  perhaps  you  would  not 
fall  on  people's  pavements  and  hurt  your  legs." 

This  made  Grant  very  wroth,  and  he  talked  about  whipping 
Chandler,  who  was  about  twice  his  size,  but  no  fight  occurred, 
and,  except  some  sharp  words,  there  was  no  quarrel.  The 
Democratic  papers  have  it  that  Grant  cowhided  Chandler, 
but  there  is  not  one  word  of  truth  in  that,  and  the  above  is 
the  whole  of  the  story  as  related  to  us  by  an  officer  who 
was  serving  in  Grant's  regiment  at  the  time  of  the  occurrence. 

Chandler  was  fined,  and  made  to  clear  the  ice  off  his 
pavement,  but  he  has,  no  doubt,  long  ago  forgiven  Ulysses 
for  the  trouble  he  gave  him. 

Grant's  regiment  went  from  Detroit  to  Sackett's  Harbor, 
and  from  thence  to  Governor's  Island,  where  it  remained  a 
short  time. 

The  annexation  of  California,  and  the  discovery  of  gold, 
drew  thither  a  vast  emigration  from  the  States,  and  to 
protect  our  citizens,  and  keep  peace  and  order  among  the 
thousands  of  desperate  men  who  were  pouring  from  all 
quarters  in  search  of  the  glittering  dust,  it  became  neces 
sary  to  send  out  troops ;  and  the  Fourth  Infantry  was  one 
of  the  first  regiments  ordered  off.  Grant  was  obliged  to 
leave  his  wife  and  child  behind,  and  Mrs.  Grant  went  to  his 
father's,  where  their  second  child  was  soon  afterward  born. 
An  officer,  who  was  with  Grant  at  the  time,  says  he  com 
plained  of  the  harsh  orders  of  the  Government  compelling 
him  to  separate  from  his  little  family,  and  for  several  days 
meditated  resigning.  We  doubt  not  that  Grant  fully  re 
solved,  if  ever  he  became  the  head  of  the  army,  he  would 
adopt  a  system  of  orders  that  would  not  necessitate  tho 
1 


50  LIFE    OF    GRAXT. 

separation  of  officers  from  their  families,  but  he  seems  to 
have  forgotten  it,  for  it  is  not  long  since  the  writer,  "by 
order  of  General  Grant,"  sent  a  young  officer  into  the  wilds 
of  Texas,  while  his  stricken,  and  well-nigh  heart-broken 
wife,  with  her  little  one,  was  obliged  to  return  North  to  his 
father's,  just  as  Grant's  wife  did  a  quarter  of  a  century 
ago.  We  hope  the  General  will  not  forget  his  old  resolve, 
but  remedy  the  present  unchristian  system  of  orders  used 
in  the  army.  Whom  God  hath  joined  together,  let  no  man 
put  asunder,  by  orders  or  otherwise. 

Grant  saw  but  little  of  the  scenes  of  violence  and  lawless 
ness  enacted  in  California,  in  1852  and  1853,  by  the  reck 
less  white  men,  treacherous  Mexicans,  and  more  blood 
thirsty  Indians  that  thronged  thither;  for  the  company  to 
which  he  was  attached,  after  making  a  brief  stop  at  San 
Francisco,  was  hurried  on  to  Fort  Dallas,  in  the  wilds  of 
Oregon. 

Life  in  garrison  there  must  have  been  almost  insupportably 
wearisome.  The  days  came  and  went  in  the  same  solitary 
monotony ;  now  and  then  an  Indian  hunt,  a  game  of  billiards 
for  the  beer,  a  mail  from  the  States,  or  a  scrub  horse  race, 
was  all  that  broke  the  dreariness  of  life  in  that  distant 
territory.  It  is  charged  that  Grant  drank  a  good  deal  at 
this  time,  and  it  is  well  known  that  officers,  when  stationed 
in  such  solitary  garrisons,  far  away  from  their  families, 
often  drink  more  than  they  should ;  but  we  can  find  no 
officer,  who  was  in  garrison  at  that  time  with  Grant,  who 
will  say  that  he  ever  saw  him  drunk,  or  under  the  influence 
of  liquor.  It  is  not  to  be  denied  that  he  sometimes  took  a 
glass,  but  we  never  knew  an  officer  in  a  frontier  garrison  who 
did  not  occasionally  drink.  In  large  towns  and  cities, 
where  we  constantly  breathe  the  air  that  has  passed  through 
the  lungs  of  two  or  three  Democratic  topers,  we  get  enough 
whisky  in  the  atmosphere  to  do  us :  but  out  on  the  great 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  51 

plains  of  the  West,  where  one  gets  air  that  was  never 
breathed  by  mortal  man,  two  or  three  nights'  camping  out, 
and  long  journeys  by  day,  makes  one  feel  wonderfully  like 
taking  something.  If  you  don't  believe  it,  try  it,  and  see 
if  you  do  n't  surprise  yourself  by  taking  a  horn  at  the  very 
first  fort  you  come  to.  Not  only  do  the  officers,  as  a 
general  thing,  take  their  grog  when  on  frontier  duty,  but 
we  have  yet  to  find  the  first  minister  who  would  refuse, 
when  pressed,  after  he  got  as  far  out  as  Santa  Fe,  to  u  take 
a  glass  of  something  real  good,  just  from  the  States."  The 
mere  mention  of  the  States,  in  the  far,  far  off  regions,  is 
enough  to  remove  a  man's  objections,  if  he  had  any. 

The  Democrats  have  repeatedly  charged  General  Grant 
with  being  a  drunkard;  and  yet,  perhaps,  as  a  body,  the 
Democrats  drink  more  whisky  than  any  people  in  the  United 
States.  Rum  and  Democracy  seem  to  be  one  and  insepara 
ble,  and,  if  Grant  ever  drank  much  liquor,  it  was  while  he 
lived  at  St.  Louis,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Democratic 
party.  We  have  made  careful  and  honest  inquiry,  and  say, 
most  emphatic  ally,  tfiat  Grant,  from  the  time  he  entered  West 
Point,  in  1839,  until  he  resigned  from  the  army,  in  .1854,  and 
from  the  time  he  rejoined  the  army,  in  1861,  up  to  the  present 
date,  has  always  been  a  sober  man. 

We  well  remember  how  the  papers  said  that  General 
McDowell  lost  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Run  because  he  was 
drunk,  and  we  doubt  not  that  thousands  of  good  people, 
to  this  day,  think  McDowell  is. a  drunkard,  when,  as  scores 
of  officers  in  the  army  can  testify,  he  is  a  perfect  old  maid 
about  whisky,  never  drinks  a  drop,  and  is  constantly  lectur 
ing  officers  who  do  take  a  glass.  John  B.  Gough  is  not  a 
better  temperance  man  than  Irvin  McDowell.  It  was  a 
mighty  hard  cut  on  him,  after  being  a  temperance  man  all 
his  life,  and  devoting  his  spare  time  to  lecturing  the  young 
officers  on  the  beauty  of  total  abstinence,  to  give  the  old  sol- 


52  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

dier  a  national  reputation  as  a  drunkard.  As  Charlie  Norris, 
of  the  dragoons,  used  to  say,  "If  Mac  had  n't  talked  temper 
ance  so  much,  and  had  taken  his  glass  regularly,  along  with 
the  rest  of  us,  them  newspaper  chaps  would  never  have 
cracked  that  joke  about  his  getting  drunk  at  Bull  Run." 

John  Pope  says,  "If  you  want  to  injure  a  man,  and  can't 
think  of  any  thing  else  to  charge  against  him,  just  say  he 
gets  drunk,  and,  as  half  the  people  take  their  grog,  they  will 
be  sure  to  believe  it."  There  is  a  good  deal  of  truth  in  that, 
and  Pope  might  have  added,  "If  you  want  to  discredit  a  man, 
just  say  he  is  a  liar.;"  and,  although  we  can't  say  whether 
for  the  same  reason  that  he  advances  in  the  case  of  whisky. 
yet  certain  it  is  that  at  one  time  the  American  people  believed 
Pope  the  greatest  liar  living,  when  the  facts  of  history  go  to 
show  that  he  is  really  one  of  the  most  truthful  men  in  the 
country. 

At  Shiloh,  while  riding  fast,  Grant's  horse  fell,  and  gave 
him  a  severe  contusion ;  thereupon  some  newspaper  writers 
gave  out  he  was  drunk,  and  fell  off  his  horse,  when  the  truth 
was  Grant  was  just  as  sober  at  the  battle  of  Shiloh  as  the 
ministers  will  be  who  will  go  into  their  pulpits  to  preach  to 
the  people  next  Sabbath  day.  These  examples  will  serve  to 
show  how  easy  it  is  for  the  people  to  be  mistaken  in  a  man's 
character  when  they  get  their  information  from  the  teachings 
of  a  venal,  unscrupulous,  and. partisan  press. 

While  stationed  at  Fort  Dallas,  in  August,  1853,  Grant 
received  his  commission  as  full  captain  in  the  Fourth  United 
States  Infantry.  While  Grant  was  a  first  lieutenant  he  was 
quartermaster  of  his  regiment,  and  bore  the  reputation  of  be 
ing  a  careless,  good-natured  fellow,  and,  withal,  a  very  good 
officer.  One  day,  either  because  he  had  no  trunk  of  his  own, 
or  because  he  had  more  confidence  in  the  care  of  his  com 
rade,  Grant  gave  Lieutenant  Gore  his  quartermaster's  funds 
to  keep.  Gore  locked  the  money  up  (amounting,  in  all,  to 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  53 

about  six  hundred  dollars)  in  his  trunk,  and  one  day  while 
all  the  officers  were  out  of  the  quarters,  a  soldier  who  was  a 
member  of  the  Fourth  Infantry  band,  stole  the  money  from 
the  trunk  and  deserted  wTith  it.  As  is  often  the  case,  Grant 
was  obliged  to  carry  this  money  on  his  returns  up  to  the 
time  when  he  quit  the  army,  and  it  remained  charged  against 
him  in  the  Treasury  until"  after  the  capture  of  Yicksburg, 
when  Mr.  Arnold,  of  Illinois,  introduced  a  bill  in  the  House 
of  Representatives,  and  had  him  relieved  from  all  responsi 
bility  in  the  matter.  This  is  the  same  money  that  the 
Democrats  now  charge  Grant  with  being  a  defaulter  for, 
only,  under  Democratic  manipulation,  it  has  grown  from  six 
hundred  to  seventeen  thousand  dollars — a  slight  increase, 
but  not  much  when  calculated  by  Copperhead  arithmetic. 
Those  Democrats  who  charge  Grant  with  being  a  defaulter 
should  turn  over  the  files  of  the  Globe,  and  they  will  find 
that  every  Democratic  member  then  in  Congress  voted  for 
the  bill  relieving  Grant  from  all  responsibility  in  the  loss 
of  the  money,  they  believing  that  it  was  no  fault  of  his 
whatever. 

In  1854,  Grant  having  become  thoroughly  home-sick,  and 
seeing  no  chance  of  having  his  family  with  him  for  years  to 
come,  determined  to  resign.  He  wished  to  become  a  farmer, 
and  wrote  to  his  father-in-law,  who  owned  some  land  near  St. 
Louis.  Mr.  Dent  offered  to  give  Mrs.  Grant  a  farm,  and  the 
General's  father  said  he  would  stock  it;  so,  on  the  31st  day 
of  July,  1854,  Grant  tendered  his  resignation,  which  was 
accepted,  and  he  returned  to  St.  Louis,  and  soon  afterward 
moved  on  to  his  wife's  farm,  near  that  city. 

Although  Grant  worked  hard,  he  got  poorer  every  day, 
and  finally  gave  up  farming.  True,  he  had  made  some  im 
provements  on  his  farm,  having  built  fences,  and  a  house, 
which  is  still  standing,  the  logs  of  which  he  hewed  with  his 
own  hands,  but  at  the  end  of  four  years  he  found  himself, 


54  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

pecuniarily,  considerably  worse  off  than  when  he  began. 
During  the  last  years  of  his  farm  life  he  hauled  a  great  deal 
of  wood  to  St.  Louis,  the  Hon.  Mr.  Blow  frequently  buying 
from  him. 

A  gentleman,  who  is  now  a  citizen  of  St.  Louis,  thus 
speaks  of  Grant : 

"I  knew  him  well  when  he  was  a  farmer.  Often  have  I 
seen  him  driving  home  his  wood-wagon,  in  his  old  felt  hat 
and  farmer  coat.  He  was  a  sensible,  plain,  matter-of-fact 
man,  and  very  industrious.  I  heard  he  sometimes  drank, 
but  I  never  saw  him  under  the  influence  of  liquor,  nor  did 
I  ever  hear  any  of  his  neighbors  say  they  saw  Grant  tight. 
He  was  a  hard-working,  clever  man,  and  we  all  liked  him, 
but  never  thought  he  would  be  great  some  day." 

The  following  anecdote  is  told  of  Grant,  referring  to  his 
former  life : 

"Last  winter  the  General  gave  a  party  in  his  fine  house 
at  ^asfcngtti|i;,  and  among  the  hundreds  who  came  was  Mrs. 
Blow,  whom  Grant  had  not  seen  since  he  lived  at  St.  Louis. 
After  shaking  the  lady  warmly  by  the  hand,  and  express 
ing  his  delight  at  seeing  her  under  his  roof,  the  General 
said : 

"'Well,  Mrs.  Blow,  times  have  changed  a  good  deal  with 
me  of  late.' 

"'Yes,'  replied  Mrs.  B.,  not  wishing  to  refer  to  his  days 
of  poverty,  and  thinking  the  General  spoke  of  the  war,  '  we 
have  peace  at  last,  and  I  suppose  you  are  glad  of  it,  as  you 
can  rest  now.' 

"CI  am,  indeed,  happy  to  think  the  country  is  once  more 
united,  but  I  did  not  refer  to  the  war  when  I  spoke  of  the 
times  having  changed  with  me.  I  was  thinking  of  when  I 
used  to  haul  wood  to  your  house  in  St.  Louis,  and  you  used 
to  give  me  orders  on  Mr.  Blow  at  the  office.  Do  n't  you 
remember  it? ' ' 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  55 

Mrs.  B.  replied  she  did,  and  the  General  then  went  on 
and  spoke  with  simplicity  and  feeling  of  the  times  when  he 
was  a  farmer  and  wood  dealer. 

In  1858,  Grant  gave  up  farming,  rented  out  his  land,  and 
moved  into  St.  Louis,  where  he  and  a  Mr.  Boggs  opened  a 
real  estate  office.  They  were  not  successful,  and  Grant, 
who  soon  saw  there  was  not  enough  profit  in  the  business  to 
support  two  families,  told  his  partner  to  take  all  of  it,  and  he 
would  look  up  something  else  to  do.  He  next  got  a  situa 
tion  in  the  custom-house,  but  the  collector  dying  soon  after 
ward,  he  was  either  discharged  or  left  of  his  own  accord.* 
He  now  tried  his  hand  at  collecting  debts,  but  for  this  busi 
ness  he  was  not  at  all  qualified.  It  is  said  Grant  always 
apologized  for  dunning  a  debtor,  and  when  he  was  told  by 
a  fellow  he  had  no  money  he  believed  him  and  went  off,  nor 
could  he  be  induced  to  go  back  and  trouble  him''  again. 
Grant  next  became  an  auctioneer;  it  is  amusing  now  to 
think  of  the  silent  General  as  an  auctioneer,  praising  the 
quality  of  wares.  Imagine  Grant  mounted  behind  the  coun 
ter  singing  out  to  the  crowd:  "Here  is  an  article,  gentle 
men,  of  use  to  every  family,  and  such  a  one  as  can  not  be 
had  anywhere  else  in  the  city  for  the  money.  Look  at  it ; 
sound  as  a  dollar,  and  I  will  sell  it  cheap.  How  much  do 
\  hear  for  this  fine  butter  bowl?  Say  two  fifty;  one  dollar. 
Start  it  at  seventy-five  cents,  somebody.  Seventy-five ;  I 
hear  seventy-five?  seventy-five,  seventy-five,  seventy-five; 
say  one  dollar ;  one  dollar  it  is ;  one  dollar,  one  dollar,  one 
dollar,  one  dollar;  are  you  all  off  at  one  dollar?  It  is  a 
shame  to  let  so  fine  a  butter  bowl  go  at  that  price.  One 
dollar,  once — one  dollar,  twice;  and  three — do  I  hear  no 


*An  officer,  who  was  stationed  at  Jefferson  Barracks  at  this  time, 
informs  us  that  Grant  applied  to  the  Quartermaster's  Department  in 
St.  Louis  for  a  clerkship,  and  was  refused. 


5(5-  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

more  ?  t-h-r-e-e  times.  Gone  at  one  dollar,  and  you  have  a 
real  bargain  in  it,  sir." 

Grant  found  auctioneering  a  dull  business ;  indeed,  if  he 
did  not  make  longer  speeches  than  he  does  now,  it  is  a 
wonder  he  ever  sold  a  single  article  at  cost.  In  1859, 
Grant's  father,  a  thrifty,  sharp  old  gentleman,  came  to  look 
after  his  son's  prospects,  and  seeing  he  was  not  prospering, 
offered  him  an  interest  in  the  successful  leather  house  of 
Grant  &  Son,  at  Galena,  Illinois.  Grant  gladly  accepted 
his  father's  proposal  to  go  into  the  leather  trade,  and  began 
preparations  for  moving  at  once  with  his  family  to  Galena. 

Speaking  of  his  residence  at  St.  Louis,  a  leading  merchant 
writes  of  Grant : 

"  I  remember  the  General  well  when  he  occupied  a  little 
farm  to  the  south-west  of  the  city.  He  cut  the  wood  off 
his  place,  and  was  in  the  habit  of  drawing  it  to  Carondelet 
market,  and  there  selling  it.  There  are  many  of  our  citi 
zens  who  bought  wood  by  the  cord  from  him,  and  can  still 
call  to  mind  the  time  when  they  made  purchases  of  the  great 
General.  When  he  came  into  market  he  was  usually  dressed 
in  an  old  felt  hat,  with  a  blouse  coat,  and  his  pants  tucked 
in  the  top  of  his  boots.  He  appeared,  as  he  was,  like  a 
sturdy,  honest  woodman.  From  all  I  can  learn,  he  was  a 
hard- working,  reliable,  and  truthful  man.  He  was  always 
at  work  at  something,  but  although  he  farmed  all  summer 
and  hauled  wood  all  winter,  he  did  not  possess  the  knack 
of  making  money,  and  got  poorer  every  year.  He  borrowed 
money  sometimes,  but,  always  strictly  honorable,  he  promptly 
repaid  it*  His  habits  of  life  were  hardy,  inexpensive  and 
simple,  but  he  was  one  of  those  men  of  whom  we  often  say, 
'  He  has  no  luck  in  any  thing  he  does,  the  fates  are  against 
him  ;'  indeed,  we  guess  poor  Grant  often  thought  so  himself, 
as  he  struggled  along  with  the  world,  but  his  time  hadn't 
come  yet,  as  we  have  all  seen  since,  and  there  is  not  one  of 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  57 

us  but  would  gladly  have  endured  all  his  hardships  for  such 
a  glorious  future.  As  to  the  inquiry  about  his  being  an  ine 
briate,  I  can  find  nothing  to  confirm  it.  On  a  cold  day,  when 
he  had  brought  a  load  of  wood  to  Carondelet  market,  he  would 
take  something  to  keep  himself  warm,  but  would  not  drink 
too  much.  This,  so  far  as  I  can  trace,  is  the  only  foundation 
for  the  many  reports  about  his  inebriety  at  this  time/'' 

Professor  Coppee,  who  was  a  cadet  at  West  Point  with 
Grant,  thus  speaks  of  him  : 

"I  visited  St.  Louis  at  this  time  (1857),  and  remember, 
with  pleasure,  that  Grant,  in  his  farmer  rig,  whip  in  hand, 
came  to  see  me  at  the  hotel,  where  were  Joseph  J.  Reynolds, 
then  professor,  now  major-general,  General  (then  major)  D. 
C.  Buell  and  Major  Chapman,  of  the  cavalry.  Grant  may 
have  used  spirits  then,  but  I  distinctly  remember  that  upon 
the  proposal  being  made  to  take  a  drink,  Grant  said,  'I  will 
go  in  and  look  at  you,  but  I  never  drink  any  thing;'  and 
other  officers,  who  saw  him  frequently  afterward,  told  me 
that  Grant  drank  nothing  but  water." 

Grant  and  his  two  brothers  succeeded  well  with  their  store 
at  Galena.  Grant  was  a  good  salesman  and  attended  closely 
to  business.  His  share  of  the  profits  soon  enabled  him  to 
build  a  comfortable  house,  and  about  the  beginning  of  the 
war  the  greatest  concern  of  Grant  was  to  get  a  good  board 
walk  laid  from  his  house  to  the  store.  He  has  often  said 
that  the  only  office  he  ever  desired  to  hold,  was  mayor  of 
Galena,  so  he  could  get  that  walk  put  down.  It  is  related, 
that  after  one  of  his  great  victories,  some  gentlemen  of 
Galena  had  the  walk  laid,  and  telegraphed  the  General : 
"Rest  easy,  the  walk  is  down."  Grant  seems  to  have  been 
little  known  to  his  fellow-citizens,  for  after  he  had  become 
famous,  his  father  tells  us  that  the  citizens  would  stop  in  the 
store  to  see  which  of  the  Grant  boys  it  was  that  had  gone 
to  the  war. 


58  LIFE   OP   GRANT. 

In  1861,  when  the  news  of  the  firing  on  Fort  Sumter 
reached  Galena,  Grant  was  in  his  store;  and  after  reading 
the  account,  he  laid  down  the  paper,  and  said  to  a  friend 
who  was  standing  b y  :  "I  shall  go  to  the  war.  You  know 
Uncle  Sam  educated  me  for  the  army,  and  though  I  have 
served  him  through  one  war,  I  feel  I  have  not  yet  canceled 
the  debt  I  owe  the  Government."  Grant  pulled  on  his  coat, 
and  going  into  the  streets  of  Galena,  commenced  raising  a 
company  of  volunteers.  Sumter  fell  on  the  13th  of  April, 
1861.  President  Lincoln  called  for  seventy-five  thousand 
troops  on  the  15th,  and  on  the  19th  Grant  was  drilling  his 
company  at  Galena.  The  men  expected  to  elect  Grant  their 
captain;  but  a  citizen  confessing  to  Grant  that  he  was  anx 
ious  to  go  into  the  war,  and  thinking  the  captaincy  would 
serve  as  a  stepping-stone  to  something  higher,  Grant  at  once 
gave  way,  and  he  took  the  company  to  the  State  Capital. 
Grant  at  once  wrote  to  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  army, 
at  Washington — Lorenzo  Thomas — stating  he  had  been  edu 
cated  at  West  Point,  and  tendering  his  services  in  any 
capacity  he  could  be  useful;  but  the  Government  thought 
so  little  of  the  matter  that  they  did  not  even  reply  to  his 
letter.* 

Hon.  E.  B.  Washburn,  who  was  then  the  Representative  in 
Congress  from  the  Galena  District,  had  noticed  the  patriotic 
exertions  of  Grant,  and  one  day  sent  for  him,  and  learning 
his  story,  offered  at  once  to  go  with  him  to  Springfield,  and 
urge  Richard  Yates,  the  Governor  of  the  State,  to  give  him 
something  to  do  in  the  war.  They  set  out  together,  and  on 
reaching  the  Capital,  Governor  Yates,  on  the  recommenda 
tion  of  Mr.  Washburn,  appointed  Grant  an  aid-de-camp  on 
his  staff  as  commander-in-chief  of  the  Illinois  forces,  and 

*  So  little  was  thought  of  this  letter  that  it  was  not  even  preserved, 
Init  torn  up  and  thrown  into  the  waste  basket. 


LIFE   OF   GRANT.  59 

assigned  him  to  the  duty  of  mustering  in  the  troops.  Gov 
ernor  Yates  soon  perceived  that  Grant's  practical  knowledge 
of  military  matters  would  make  him  a  valuable  man  to  have 
about  his  person,  and  he  appointed  him  Adjutant-General 
of  the  State.  Grant  worked  with  a  will  at  the  difficult  task 
of  mustering  in  the  three-months'  men,  which,  amid  much 
confusion,  he  accomplished  by  the  most  indefatigable  energy, 
but  seeing  Yates  was  disposed  to  keep  him  at  the  Capital, 
when  he  wanted  to  be  in  the  field,  and  learning  that  an  old 
West  Pointer,  McClellan,  had  been  appointed  to  command 
at  the  West,  and  was  then  at  Cincinnati,  he  determined 
to  visit  his  father  at  Covington,  and  see  if  McClellan  would 
not  give  him  duty  in  the  field.  Grant  secretly  hoped  that 
when  General  McClellan  saw  him,  he  would  offer  him 
a  position  on  his  staff,  but,  although  he  went  twice  to 
Cincinnati  to  see  the  young  Napoleon,  no  offer  of  a  place 
was  made  him,  and  Grant  was  about  to  return  to  Illinois 
without  mentioning  his  aspirations  to  any  one,  when  his 
father  received  a  dispatch  from  Governor  Yates,  stating  that 
"Ulysses  Grant  had  been  appointed  colonel  of  the  Twenty- 
first  Illinois  Infantry."  Grant  at  once  resigned  his  appoint 
ment  as  mustering  officer,  accepted  the  colonelcy  of  the 
Twenty -first,  and  joined  his  regiment,  which  was  then 
organizing  at  Mattoon,  Illinois. 

After  removing  his  men  to  Caseyville,  and  drilling  them 
for  a  short  time,  Grant,  on  the  31st  day  of  July,  1861, 
reported  with  his  regiment  to  General  John  Pope,  then 
commanding  the  District  of  Missouri,  was  assigned  by  that 
General  to  the  command  of  the  troops  at  Mexico,  on  the 
North  Missouri  Railroad,  and  here  Grant  began  his  first 
military  operations  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  a  war  des 
tined  to  make  him  the  most  famous  of  living  generals. 

Since  the  above  was  written,  we  have 

received  a  very  long  and  interesting  letter  from  a  brother 


00  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

officer  who  served  with  Grant  in.  the  Fourth  Infantry.  We 
make  the  following  extracts  : 

"  I  cheerfully  comply  with  your  request  to 

tell  you  what  I  know  about  Grant's  early  military  life.  My 
association  with  him  began  at  Detroit,  in  1848,  at  the  time 
of  his  return  from  his  bridal  tour.  I  was  then  a  second 
lieutenant  in  the  Fourth  Infantry,  and  I  well  remember  the 
day  Grant  came  to  the  post  with  his  young  bride  and  his 
sister.  Grant  was  the  regimental  quartermaster,  and,  after 
his  hard  campaigns  in  Mexico,  entitled  to  rest,  but  an 
officer,  who,  I  have  always  believed,  did  it  from  purely 
selfish  motives,  got  Grant  ordered  to  the  then  bleak  and 
undesirable  post  of  Sackett's  Harbor.  Although  Grant's 
proper  place  as  quartermaster  was  at  Detroit  with  the  regi 
mental  head-quarters, 'he  uncomplainingly  obeyed  the  order. 
He,  however,  laid  his  grievances  before  Brevet  Colonel 
Francis  Lee,  commanding  the  regiment,  and,  after  due 
consultation,  his  case  was  forwarded  to  Washington  for  the 
decision  of  the  General-in-Chief,  Winfield  Scott.  The  old 
General  decided  Grant  should  go  back  to  Detroit,  and,  as 
soon  as  navigation  on  the  lakes  was  open,  he  returned  to 
head-quarters  to  the  delight  of  many  of  us,  and  the  complete 
discomfiture  of  his  few,  but  selfish  enemies.  That  Grant  is 
a  generous  and  magnanimous  man,  I  think,  is  fully  shown 
by  the  fact  that,  after  his  return  to  Detroit,  he  never  kept 
spite  against  the  officer  who  did  him  so  great  an  injustice, 
but  invited  him  to  his  ever  hospitable  quarters,  and,  during 
the  late  war,  heaped  upon  him  every  honor  he  could. 

.  '-'i'-i'l'  "It.  was  while  stationed  at  the  City  of  the 
Straits,  that  Grant  had  a  difficulty  with  Senator  Chandler, 
then  a  merchant  in  that  place.  It  was  something  about  ice 
on  Chandler's  pavement,  upon  which  Grant  had  fallen  and 
hurt  himself.  He  had  Chandler  brought  before  the  city 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  61 

authorities,  for  violating  the  ordinances,  and,  I  have  always 
understood,  came  off  first  best  in  the  affair. 
,.-: .'...,.  .  .  .  "I  did  not  see  Grant  after  leaving  him  at 
Detroit,  until  1852,  when  I  met  him  at  Fort  Columbus,  New 
York,  where  the  regiment  had  been  concentrated,  preparatory 
tc  embarking  for  California.  He  had  to  leave  his  wife  and 
child  behind;  and,  although  this  was  a  sad  blow  to  him,  he 
exhibited  great-  energy,  and  did  bis  best,  as  regimental 
quartermaster,  to  make  the  officers  and  men  comfortable  on 
their  way  out.  At  Panama  Bay,  the  Asiatic  cholera  caught 
us,  and  here  Grant  lost  his  most  intimate  friend  and  com 
panion,  Brevet  Major  J.  II.  Gore,  who  died  on  the  1st  of 
August,  1852.  Grant  remained  fearlessly  by  the  side  of 
his  stricken  brother  officers,  and'  every  day  went  among 
the  men  where  the  terrible  disease  was  making  great  havoc, 
and  did  all  he  could  to  comfort  and  ease  the  poor  fellows. 
*> ••..>  *  .  ."  .  "On  arriving  in  California,  we  went  for  a 
short  time  to  Benecia,  from  which  place  six  companies, 
with  the  head-quarters,  went  to  Fort  Vancouver,  Washington 
Territory.  Grant  and  I  went  with  them,  and  soon  after 
our  arrival  there,  Grant,  who  was  always  fond  of  horses, 
and  a  good  judge,  bought  one  of  the  finest  animals  in  the 
Territory. 

tfv* "One    morning,   while    sitting   with   some 

comrades  in  front  of  the  officers'  quarters,  we  observed 
Grant  riding  on  his  fine  horse  toward  Major  Hathaway's 
battery,  which  was  in  park  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
yards  distant.  As  Grant  drew  near  the  guns,  and  we  were 
observing  the  motions  of  his  fine  animal,  we  saw  him  gather 
the  reins,  take  a  tighter  grip  on  his  cigar,  pull  down  his 
hat  firmly  on  his  head,  and  seat  himself  securely  in  the 
saddle,  l  Grant  is  going  to  leap  the  battery,'  cried  two  or 
three  of  the  officers,  and  we  all  stood  up  to  see  him  do  it. 


62  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

He  ran  his  horse  at  the  pieces,  and  put  him  one  after 
another  over  the  four  guns  as  easily  and  gracefully  as  a 
circus  rider. 

"Speaking  of  Grant's  excellent  horsemanship,  reminds 
me  of  a  thing  he  did  in  Mexico-,  that  is  worth  relating. 
One  day  he  came  to  see  Colonel  Howard,  who  was  in  com 
mand  of  the  Castle  of  Chepultepec.  The  colonel's  quarters 
were  inside  of  the  fortress,  which  was  surrounded  by  a  high, 
broad  earth-work.  Grant  rode  up  the  slope  outside,  and, 
after  riding  around  the  castle  two  or  three  times  and  seeing 
no  post  to  hitch  his  horse  to,  deliberately  spurred  the  animal 
down  the  broad,  but  long  and  steep  stone  stairs  that  led  into 
the  fort.  When  Colonel  Howard  came  out  of  the  castle  and 
saw  Grant's  horse  tied  at  the  door,  where,  perhaps,  a  horse 
had  never  before  been,  he  said,  in  astonishment,  '  Lieuten 
ant,  how  in  the  world  did  you  get  your  horse  in  here?' 
'Rode  him  in,  sir,'  quietly  replied  Grant.  'And  how  do 
you  expect  to  get  him  out  ?'  '  Ride  him  up  the  steps  instead 
of  down,'  answered  Grant,  and,  mounting  the  animal,  he 
rode  him  to  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  and,  with  Grant  on  his 
back,  the  intelligent  brute  climbed  like  a  cat  to  the  top, 
where  Grant,  waving  his  hat  to  Colonel  Howard  below,  dis 
appeared  like  a  flash  over  the  breastworks. 

"I  did  not  now  see  Grant  for  some  time,  and 

the  next  place  I  met  him  was  at  Fort  Humboldt,  California 
where  he  came  to  assume  command  of  Company  F,  of  the 
Fourth  U.  S.  Infantry,  to  which  he  had  been  promoted  cap 
tain  by  the  death  of  General  Taylor's  son-in-law,  Colonel 
Bliss.  I  remember  soon  after  Grant's  arrival  we  had  a  '  clam 
lunch,'  and  I  asked  Grant  how  he  liked  clams,  when  he  drily 
replied,  he  thought  them  a  very  good  substitute  for  *  gutta 
percha  oysters.' 

"I  have  seen  it  stated  that  Grant  resigned  on 

account  of  trouble  brought  on  by  his  drunkenness.     There 


LIFE 'OF    GRANT. 


63 


is  not  one  word  of  truth  in  that.  *  The  monotony  of  the 
small  post  of  Humboldt  was  too  much  for  him ;  he  had  been 
separated  from  his  family  for  over  two  years,  and  wished 
to  see  them  again.  He  applied  for  a  leave  of  absence, 
which  was  refused  him ;  and  then,  of  his  own  free-will  and 
accord,  untrammeled  by  any  outside  circumstances,  and  from 
the  sole  desire  to  be  with  his  family,  he  tendered  his  resig 
nation,  which  was  accepted. 

"  The  money  you  speak  of  was  lost  by  Grant 

soon  after  the  last  battle  was  fought  in  Mexico.  The 
amount  was  about  six  hundred  dollars  of  quartermaster's 
funds,  which  Grant,  for  safe  keeping,  had  given  to  his  inti 
mate  friend  and  fellow-officer,  the  lamented  Major  John  H. 
Gore.  One  day,  while  the  officers  where  out  of  the  tent,  a 
soldier  of  the  Fourth  U.  S.  Infantry  broke  open  Gore's 
trunk,  took  Grant's  money  and  all  the  little  valuables  and 
trinkets  Gore  had.  Neither  the  department,  nor  any  one, 
ever  blamed  Grant  for  the  loss  orHhe  money,  and  after  the 
war  began  he  was  relieved  from  it  by  special  act  of  Congress. 
Grant  was  really  one  of  the  best  officers  we  ever  had  in  the 
old  Fourth  Infantry,  and  esteemed  and  beloved  by  nearly 
every  one." 

*  This  officer  is  not  a  radical. 


64  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

GRANT  AS  A  COLONEL IS  ASSIGNED  TO  COMMAND  OF  A  BRIGADE IS  AP 
POINTED  BRIGADIER-GENERAL,  AND  ASSIGNED  TO  COMMAND  AT  CAIRO 

GRANT'S  ENEMIES — HE  CUTS  THE  NEUTRALITY  KNOT  IN  KENTUCKY — 

CAPTURE  OF  PADUCAH THE  BATTLE  OF  BELMONT WHY  THAT  BATTLE 

WAS   FOUGHT THE    EXPEDITION    INTO    KENTUCKY PREPARATIONS    TO 

ATTACK  FORT  HENRY FALL  OF  FORT  HENRY — PREPARATIONS  TO  ATTACK 

FORT  DONELSON CAPTURE  OF  FORT  DONELSON REJOICING  OF  THE  PEO 
PLE GRANT  PROMOTED  BY  THE  PRESIDENT  TO  MAJOR-GENERAL NEW 

DISTRICT  CREATED  FOR  HIM HE  GETS  UNDER  A  CLOUD IS  RELIEVED 

FROM  HIS  DISGRACE — PREPARATIONS  FOR  THE  BATTE  OF  SHILOH. 

BEFORE  going  to  Mexico,  Missouri,  Grant  bad  marched 
with  his  regiment  from  Hannibal  to  Quincy,  from  thence  to 
St.  Joseph,  and  having  obtained  considerable  knowledge  by 
these  movements,  and  inured  his  men  to  hardships,  in  com 
ing  in  contact  with  other  and  greener  regiments,  although 
the  youngest  colonel,  Grant's  experience  pointed  him  out  as 
the  fittest  person  to  command  the  combined  forces,  and  he 
was  made  acting  brigadier-general.  For  a  time  his  head 
quarters  were  at  Mexico,  and  from  there  he  marched  to  Pilot 
Knob,  from  thence  to  Ironton,  thence  to  Jeiferson  City,  to 
defend  the  river  against  the  attacks  of  Jeff.  Thompson. 
Grant  fortified  Marble  Creek,  and  continued  his  military 
operations  in  Missouri  until  about  the  23d  of  August,  1861, 
when  he  received  his  commission  as  brigadier-general.  This 
commission  was  made  August  7th,  but  appointed  Grant  to 
rank  as  brigadier  from  the  17th  day  of  May,  1861.  The 
first  intimation  Grant  had  of  his  appointment  was  through 
newspapers,  and  he  knew  little  about  it  until  he  received  his 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  65 

commission.  But  his  promotion  had  not  been  obtained  with 
out  a  struggle.  Hon.  E.  B.  Washburn,  who  had  never  spoken 
to  Grant  until  after  the  war  began,  had  conceived  a  great 
liking  for  him,  and  urged  his  promotion  with  President  Lin 
coln.  The  President  se'nt  in  Grant's  name  with  thirty-three 
others,  and  he  stood  No.  17,  or  in  the  middle  of  the  list, 
about  where  he  stood  in  the  graduating  class  at  West  Point, 
in  1843.  Again  it  is  curious  to  trace  the  history  of  these 
men  and  see  how  the  seventeenth  general  outstripped  all  the 
others  in  military  renown.  The  roster  stood  at  the  begin 
ning  of  1861: 

-    1.  S.  P.  Ileintzelman,  not  in  active  service. 

2.  E.  D.  Keys,  not  in  active  service 

3.  Andrew  Porter,  not  in  active  service. 

4.  Fitz  John  Porter,  Cashiered. 

5.  William  B.  Franklin,  commanding  Nineteenth  Army  Corps. 

6.  William  T.  Sherman,  commanding  Department. 

7.  Charles  P.  Stono,  Chief  of  Staff  to  General  Banks. 

8.  Don  Carlos  Buell,  not  in  active  service. 

9.  Thomas  W.  Sherman,  temporarily  disabled. 

10.  James  Cakes,  not  in  service. 

11.  John  Pope,  commanding  Department  North-we'st. 

12.  George  A.  McCall,  resigned. 

13.  William  R.  Montgomery,  not  in  active  service. 

14.  Philip  Kearney,  dead. 

15.  Joseph  Hooker,  commanding  Grand  Division. 

16.  Jolin.W.  Phelps,  resigned. 

17.  Ulysses  S.  Grant,  Lieutenant-General. 

18.  J.  J.  Reynolds,  commanding  troops  New  Orleans. 

19.  Samuel  11.  Curtis,  not  in  active  service. 

20.  Charles  S.  Hamilton,  not  in  active  service. 

21.  D.  N.  Couch,  commanding  Department  Susquehanna. 

22.  llufus  King,  Foreign  Minister. 

23.  J.  D.  Cox,  commanding  corps. 

24.  S.  A.  Hurlbut,  commanding  corps. 

25.  Franz  Sijgcl,  not  in  active  service. 

26.  Robert  C.  Schenck,  in  Congress. 

27.  15.  M.  Prentiss,  resigned. 

5 


66  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

28.  F.  W.  Lander,  dead. 

29.  B.  F.  Kelly,  commanding  Department  West  Virginia. 

30.  J.  A.  McClcrnand,  not  in  active  service. 

31.  A.  S.  Williams,  commanding  division. 

32.  J.  B.  Richardson,  dead. 

33.  William  Sprague,  declined. 

34.  James  Cooper,  dead. 

The  President,  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Washburn,  had  sent 
in  to  the  United  States  Senate  the  name  of  Colonel  U.  S. 
Grant  for  brigadier-general.  At  that  time  the  Senators  and 
the  people  knew  no  more  who  U.  S.  Grant  was  than  they  did 
about  Bob  Smith  or  Tom  Jones.  Some  enemies  of  Grant 
had  told  several  Senators  he  was  a  drunken,  worthless  .fel 
low,  and  ought  not  to  be  confirmed.  When  his  name  came 
up  two  or  three  objected,  and  stated  what  they  had  heard, 
and  the  name  of  Grant  was  about  to  be  rejected,  when  it  so 
happened  that  Mr.  Washburn,  who  was  on  his  way  home 
from  the  House,  and  who  did  riot  know  the  nominations 
were  up,  went  by  the  Senate  and  called  out  Ben.  Wade,  of 
Ohio,  to  whom  he  said:  "Mr.  Wade,  the  President  has  sent 
in  the  name  of  Colonel  U.  S.  Grant,  of  the  Twenty-first 
Illinois  Regiment,  to  be  a  brigadier-general;  when  it  comes 
up,  I. wish  you  would  remember  the  name  and  help  him 
through." 

"Ii  is  up  now,  and  he  is  going  to  be  rejected.  They  say 
he  is  a  drunkard,"  replied  Mr.  Wade. 

"He  is  no  such  thing,  and  I  can  prove  it,"  answered 
Washburn. 

Wade  hurried  into  the  Senate  and  asked  that  action  on 
Grant's  nomination  might  be  postponed  until  the  next  day, 
which  was'  done,  and  that  night  Washburn  visited  the  Sen 
ators,  explained  away  the  ill-natured  reports  put  in  circula 
tion  about  his  friend,  and  next  day  Grant  was  confirmed. 

Soon  after  his  promotion,  Grant  was  ordered  to  the  Mis 
sissippi,  given  command  of  the  District  of  South-east  Mis- 


LIFE   OF   GRANT. 


67 


souri,  and  made  his  head-quarters  at  Cairo,  the  confluence 
of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Rivers. 

He  soon  deter 
mined  the  strategic 
points  in  his  dis 
trict,  and  decided 
upon  the  seizure 
of  Paducah,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Ten 
nessee  River.  Ken 
tucky  was  at  this 
time  playing  the 
absurd  role  of  neu 
trality,  but  while 
the  Governor  and 
his  people  were 
niiiking  loud  pro 
fessions  of  peace, 
the  rebels  were  fortifying  Columbus  and  Ilickman,  on 
the  Mississippi,  and  Bowling  Green,  on  the  Big  Barren. 
Without  giving  any  heed  to  the  armed  neutrality  parade, 
and  silly  State  Rights  doctrines  of  Kentucky,  Grant  hearing 
that  the  rebel  troops  were  about  to  occupy  Paducah  in  force, 
he  advanced  in  the  night  with  two  regiments,  drove  out  some 
rebel  recruits,  and  seized  the  city.  The  neutral  citizens  had 
secession  flags  flying,  and  were  in  great  glee,  hourly  expect 
ing  the  arrival  of  some  four  thousand  rebel  troops,  when 
Grant  with  his  blue  jackets  tumbled  into  their  streets. 

After  fortifying  Southland,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cumber 
land  River,  and  leaving  sufficient  garrisons  behind,  he  set 
out  to  return  to  his  head-quarters  at  Cairo,  but,  before  leav 
ing  Paducah,  issued  a  proclamation  to  the  citizens,  which  is 
a  little  curious,  as  being  the  first  military  paper  issued  by 
Grant  in  the  war : 


68  LIFE    OF    (illANT. 

"  PAUUCAII,  KY.,  September  6,  1861. 
"To  the  citizens  of  Paducah: 

"I  am  come  among  you,  not  as  an  enemy,  but  as  your 
fellow-citizen.  Not  to  maltreat  you  nor  annoy  you,  but  to 
respect  and  enforce  the  rights  of  all  loyal  citizens.  An 
enemy,  in  rebellion  against  our  common  Government,  has 
taken  possession  of,  and  planted  its  guns  on  the  soil  of 
Kentucky,  and  fired  upon  you.  Columbus  and  Ilickman 
are  in  his  hands.  lie  is  moving  upon  your  city.  I  am 
here  to  defend  you  against  this  enemy,  to  assist  the  author 
ity  and  sovereignty  of  your  Government.  /  have  nothing 
to  do  with  opinions,  and  shall  deal  only  with  armed  rebellion 
and  its  aiders  and  abettors.  You  can  pursue  your  usual 
avocations  without  fear.  The  strong  arm  of  the  Govern 
ment  is  here  to  protect  its  friends,  and  punish  its  enemies. 
Whenever  it  is  manifest  that  you  are  able  to  defend  your 
selves,  and  maintain  the  authority  of  the  Government,  and 
protect  the  rights  of  loyal  citizens,  I  shall  withdraw  the 
forces  under  my  command. 

"U.  S.  GRANT, 

"Brigadier-General  Commanding.'1 

When  it  is  remembered  this  paper  was  issued  at  a  time 
when  some  of  the  ablest  statesmen  in  the  nation  were  puz 
zling  their  brains  over  the  position  of  Kentucky,  it  will  be 
seen  how  completely  the  blunt  General  cut  the  knot  of  neu 
trality,  and  exploded  the  fallacy  of  State  Rights  in  time 
of  war.  Grant  had  marched  upon  the  sacred  soil  of  Ken 
tucky  without  consulting  any  one,  and  as  soon  as  the  State 
authorities  heard  he  had  seized  Paducah,  they  telegraphed 
General  Fremont,  Grant's  superior  officer,  that  a  great  out 
rage  had  been  committed,  and  that  Paducah,  "a  city  of  Ken 
tucky,  was  actually  in  the  hands  of  United  States  troops''' 
The  State  officials  had  first  telegraphed  Grant  to  know  why 


LIFE    OF    GRAKT.  69 

he  had  presumed  to  advance  with  an  armed  force  upon  the 
soil  of  Kentucky,  and  the  General  gave  the  very  sensible 
reply,  that  he  had  come  to  put  down  rebellion.  His  answer 
AVUS  sent  to  Fremont,  and  some  sharp  correspondence  en 
sued  between  that  General  and  Grant,  not  so  much  because 
Grant  had  advanced  into  Kentucky  without  orders,  as  be 
cause  he  "had  corresponded  with  State  and  other  high  of 
ficials  on  matters  of  importance  without  the  permission  of 
his  superiors,"  and  he  was  peremptorily  informed  that  the 
divine  right  of  writing. letters  to  governors,  etc.,  lay  only 
in  the  "head-quarters  at  St.  Louis."  NotAvithstanding  the 
exertions  of  the  rebel  governor,  the  legislature  passed 
Union  resolutions,  and  the  loyal  people  of  Kentucky,  cheered 
by  the  knowledge  of  Grant's  presence  with  an  armed  force 
in  Paducah,  began  every-where  to  organize  to  sustain  the 
old  flag  of  the  nation,  and  keep  the  State  in  the  Union. 

Larke,  in  his  history,  gives  this  picture  of  Grant  in  camp  : 
"  General  Grant,  when  in  camp  at  Cairo,  presented  little,  in 
fact  nothing,  of  the  gewgaws  and  trappings  which  are  gen 
erally  attached  to  the  attire  of  a  general;  and  in  this  respect 
he  showed  a  marked  contrast  between  himself  and  some  of 
his  sub-lieutenants,  whose  bright  buttons  and  glittering 
shoulder-straps  were  perfectly  resplendent.  The  General, 
instead,  would  move  about  the  camp  with  his  attire  care 
lessly  thrown  on,  and  left  to  fall  as  it  pleased.  In  fact,  he 
seemed  to  care  nothing  at  all  about  his  personal  appearance, 
and  in  the  place  of  the  usual  military  hat  and  gold  cord, 
he  wore  an  old  battered  black  hat,  generally  designated  a 
"  stove-pipe,"  an  article  that  neither  of  his  subordinates 
would  have  stooped  to  pick  up.  In  his  mouth  he  carried  a 
black-looking  cigar,  which  he  was  constantly  puffing." 

The  situation  in  Grant's  district,  on  the  23d  of  Novem 
ber,  1861,  was  as  follows:  Jeff.  Thompson,  at  Indian  Ford, 
on  the  St.  Francois  River,  with  three  thousand  men;  Price, 


70 


LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


in  South-western  Missouri,  awaiting  reinforcements  from 
Polk  and  Jeff.  Thompson;  Polk  at  Columbus.  Hearing 
Polk  was  crossing  troops  from  Columbus  to  Belmont,  with 

a  view  to  ree'n- 
force  Price,  Grant 
sent  Col.  Richard 
Oglesby  against 
Jeff.  Thompson, 
with  instructions 
to  attack  him  and 
break  up  his 
camps.  On  the 
night  of  the  7th, 
Grant,  who  had 
already  sent  C. 
F.  Smith  from 
Paducah  to  dem 
onstrate  against 
Columbus,  hear 
ing  that  Polk  was 
about  to  move 
from  Belmont 

BELMONT. 

with  a  force  to  cut 

off  Oglesby,-  determined  to  attack  that  place.  He  at  once 
moved,  by  boat,  with  three  thousand  men  to  Hunter's  Point, 
three  miles  from  Columbus,  on  the  Missouri  shore,  where 
he  debarked  and  marched  for  Belmont.  The  rebel  Tappan's 
force  was  soon  encountered  and  driven  back,  as  was  also 
Pillow,  who  came  to  his  support  with  three  regiments. 
Grant  deployed  his  whole  force  as  skirmishers,  except  one 
battalion  held  in  reserve,  and  righting  from  tree  to  tree, 
through  sloughs  and  abattis,  after  a  contest  of  four  hours 
drove  the  rebels  under  the  river  bank  and  captured  several 
hundred  prisoners.  Belmont  is  on  low  ground,  and  in  ran^c 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  71 

of  Columbus,  from  which  place  the  rebel  batteries  kept  up  a 
plunging  fire  on  the  Union  forces. 

After  whipping  the  rebels,  our  forces  became  disorgan 
ized  and  began  plundering  the  rebel  camps,  while  the 
colonels,  instead  of  pursuing  the  rebels,  went  to  making 
stump  speeches.  Meanwhile  the  rebels  rallied;  and  Polk 
began  to  cross  reinforcements  from  Columbus  in  transports. 
Grant  attempted  to  call  off  his  troops;  but,  being  raw  and 
green,  and  crazy  with  their  victory,  they  would  not  obey 
him.  To  stop  their  pillaging,  he  ordered  the  rebel  camps 
to  be  fired.  Gathering  what  troops  he  could,  he  began  his 
retreat  toward  his  boats,  but  found  the  rebels  had  inter 
cepted  him.  A  staff  officer  galloped  up  to  Grant,  arid  ex 
citedly  cried  out,  "General,  we  are  cut  off  and  surrounded  I" 
"Silence,  sir"  replied  Grant,"  "  if  that  be  so,  we  must  cut 
our  way  out  as  we  cut  our  way  in"  The  General,  who  had 
already  had  one  horse  shot  under  him,  behaved  with  great 
coolness  and  gallantry,  going  into  the  thickest  of  the  fight 
and  encouraging  his  men.  He  said,  constantly,  "  We  have 
whipped  them  once  and  can  do  it  again."  The  troops  closed 
up,  and,  charging  upon  the  enemy,  cut  their  way  to  the 
transports,  where  they  embarked  under  cover  of  the  gun 
boats,  and  sailed  up  the  river,  while  the  rebels  returned  to 
their  ruined  and  burning  camps.  We  had  eighty-five  killed, 
three  hundred  and  one  wounded,  and  ninety-nine  missing. 
The  Confederate  loss  was  six  hundred  and  thirty-two. 

Much  has  been  said  about  the  battle  of  Belmont,  but  we 
think  nearly  every  one  will  now  admit  Grant  acted  wisely 
in  fighting  it.  The  reasons,  in  brief,  for  the  battle  seem  to 
be:  1.  The  inordinate  desire  of  our  green  troops  to  fight, 
they  already  began  not  only  to  call,  but  believe  General 
Grant  to  be  a  coward.  2.  The  necessity  of  trying  the  spirit, 
endurance  and  power  of  the  enemy,  as  well  as  giving  our 
own  men  some  experience  in  actual  war  before  larger  and 


72 


LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


more    important   movements   began.     3.  The   necessity   of 
preventing  Polk  from   sending   troops   to  cut   off  Oglesby. 

4.  By  attacking,  to  show 
the  rebel  commander  the 
importance  of  keeping 
his  forces  together,  and 
thus  prevent  him  from 
sending  reinforcements 
to  Price,  in  Missouri. 
All  these  objects  were 
accomplished,  and  we  re 
spectfully  submit  that 
$  they  were  sufficient  to 

y 

~  justify  the  battle  of  Bel- 
§  mont. 

g  Halleckwas  now  called 
\  to  command  the  Depart- 
£  ment  of  Missouri,  and 
one  of  his  first  acts  was 
to  enlarge  Gen.  Grant's 
district  and  give  him  ad 
ditional  troops.  Having 
hastily  organized  his  new 
command,  Ilalleck,  to 
prevent  Polk  from  ree'n- 
forcing  Buckner  at  Bowl 
ing  Green,  ordered  Grant 
to  make  a  grand  rccou 
noissance  into  Kentucky.  General  Payne  moved  from  Caiio 
to  Bird's  Point,  and  thence  to  Fort  Jefferson,  where  he 
remained,  while  General  Smith  with  a  column  moved  from 
Smithland  through  Blandville.  The  expeditionary  forces 
marched  to  within  one  mile  of  the  defenses  of  Columbus, 
when,  having  fully  accomplished  their  object  and  obtained 


LIFE    OF    OR  AST.  <  •> 

much  valuable  information,  they  returned.  Smith,  in  his 
report  of  this  expedition,  represented  the  capture  of  Fort 
Henry  as  feasible,  and 
Grant  at  once  forwarded 
it  to  Halleck,  "recom 
mended,"  and  the  next 
day  set  out  in  person  for 
St.  Louis,  to  obtain,  if 
possible,  permission  to  at 
tack  Forts  Henry  and 
Donelson ;  but  Halleck 
snubbed  him,  and  sent 
him  back  to  Cairo.  Noth 
ing  daunted,  Grant  four 
days  later  telegraphed 

r  PLAN  OF  Four  HKXKY. 

Halleck:  "With  permis 
sion,  I  will  take  and  hold  Fort  Henry."  To  back  him  up, 
Grant  got  Commodore  Foote  to  write  Ilalleck  and  advise 
the  attack  on  Fort  Henry.  On  the  30th  of  January,  Hal 
leck  gave  his  consent,  and  on  the  2d  of  February  Grant 
started  from  Cairo,  with  seventeen  thousand  men  on  trans 
ports.  McClernand  led  the  advance,  and  disembarked  his 
troops  eight  miles  from  the  fort;  but  Grant  ordered  them  on  x 
board  again,  and  continued  up  the  river  to  Bailey's  Ferry, 
where  the  dropping  shells  from  the  rebel  guns  admonishing 
him  he  was  close  enough,  he  rounded  to  and  had  his  forces 
put  on  shore.  The  rebel  General  Tilghntan  commanded  the 
fort,  and  had  two  thousand  and  seven  hundred  men.  The 
works  were  strong,  bastioncd,  embrasured,  with  sand  bags 
on  the  parapets,  and  mounted  seventeen  heavy  guns,  twelve 
of  which  bore  on  the  river  and  five  inland.  Outside  of  the 
works  were  intrenched  camps,  on  heights  defended  by  long 
lines  of  rifle-pits. 

The  boats  in  the  river  besan  the  battle  at  eleven  o'clock 


'o 


74 


LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


on  the  6th  day  of  February,  while  Grant  was  marching  Tby 
land  to  invest  the  fort,  having  to  march  eight  miles  to  get  to 
the  rear  of  the  rebel  works.  While  Grant  was  cutting  roads 
through  the  woods  and  bridging  the  overflowed  streams,  the 

rebels  made  good  use  of 
the  two  or  three  hours 
thus  afforded  them,  and 
ran  away  by  the  upper 
roads;  but  Gen.  Tilgh- 
man,  with  his  staff  and 
about  sixty  men,  re 
mained,  arid  surren 
dered  to  the  navy  be 
fore  the  land  forces 
could  get  up.  Grant, 
knowing  Foote's  mod 
esty,  and  wishing  to 
place  the  credit  where  it  belonged,  with  the  gallant  tars, 
promptly  telegraphed  Halleck:  "Fort  Henry  is  ours;  the 
gunboats  silenced  the  batteries  before  the  investment  was 
completed."  Next  day  Grant  telegraphed  Halleck:  k'I  shall 
take  and  destroy  Fort  Donelson  on  the  8th."  Grant's  cav- 


A   MORTAR-BOAT. 


alry  at  once  drove  in  the  rebel  outposts,  and  picketed  to 
within  one  mile  of  the  fort.    On  the  8th,  according  to  prom- 


LIFE   OF    GRANT. 


75 


ise,  the  infantry  and  artillery  began  moving  on  Donelson, 
but  the  rain  had  so  swollen  the  streams,  the  advance  was 
delayed  until  the  llth.  Meantime,  Foote's  gunboats,  which 
had  been  up  the  Tennessee,  returned,  and  advanced  in  con 
junction  with  the  land  forces. 

McClcrnand  again  led  the  advance,  and,  on  the '12th,  the 


main  column,  under  Grant,  was  well  on   the  way.  Generals 
Smith  and  Lewis  Wallace  commanding  the  divisions.     Fort 


76  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

Donelson  was  a  strong  work,  built  on  precipitous  heights, 
and  surrounded  by  deep  gorges  and  ravines.  It  covered  a 
hundred  acres  of  land  and  mounted  fifteen  heavy  guns.  The 
river  was  protected  by  heavy  water-batteries,  admirably  lo 
cated  and  well  constructed.  The  rebel  General  Buckner  was 
in  the  works,  with  twenty-one  thousand  men  and  sixty-five 
field  pieces. 

On  the  12th,  Grant  began  investing  the  works.  McCler- 
nand,  with  his  division,  moved  to  the  rear  of  the  rebel  forts, 
and  constituted  the  right  wing  of  the  besieging  forces.  Gen 
eral  Smith's  division  formed  the  left  of  the  line,  and  Lew. 
Wallace's  forces,  under  Grant  in  person,  the  center.  On  the 
14th,  the  gunboats  arrived  and  the  skirmishing  began.  Fri 
day,  at  three  o'clock,  six  gunboats  attacked  the  fort,  and  a 
terrific  cannonade  ensued.  Foote  was  wrounded,  and  all  of 
his  boats  more  or  less  injured,  some  of  them  being  literally 
knocked  to  pieces — the  flag-ship  St.  Louis  having  her  wheel 
shot  away,  and  receiving  fifty-nine  shots.  ^ 

So  shattered  were  the  gunboats,  that  Commodore  Foote 
said  it  would  be  necessary  for  him  to  return  to  Cairo  and 
repair  them,  and  he  urged  Grant  to  remain  as  quiet  as  pos 
sible  until  he  returned;  but,  while  Grant  and  Foote  were 
still  in  conference,  the  rebels  sallied  from  their  works  and 
•attacked  the  extreme  right  of  Grant's  line.  After  a  stub 
born  fight,  McArtlmr's  brigade  was  driven  back,  and  all  of 
McClernaiurs  division  for  a  time  wavered;  but  Lew.  Wallace 
came  up  promptly  from  the  center  to  their  support,  and  drove 
the  rebels;  but  the  attack  was  soon  renewed  on  both  McCler- 
nand  and  Wallace,  and,  after  a  close  fight,  their  troops  stub 
bornly  fell  back.  The  rebels  did  not  follow  far,  and  there 
was  a  lull  in  the  battle,  when  Grant,  who  had  just  heard  of 
the  attack,  and  returned  from  the  gunboats,  rode  up  at  full 
speed,  and  perceiving  the  condition  of  affairs,  said  to  a  staff 
officer :  '•  Examine  the  rebel  prisoners,  and  see  if  their  hav- 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  77 

ersacks  are  filled?"  The  staff  officer  did  so,  and  found  they 
contained  three  days'  full  rations.  "  Good,"  said  Grant,  in 
glee ;  "  they  are  fighting  to  get  out  to  Nashville ;  they  have 
no  idea  of  staying  to  fight  us."  *  Then  observing  the  wearied 
and  disordered  appearance  of  his  men,  and  the  quiet  of  the 
enemy,  he  said:  "The  contest  has  reached  its  height;  which 
ever  party  first  attacks  now,  will  whip,"  and,  putting  spurs 
to  his  horse,  he  galloped  furiously  to  the  left,  where  Smith's 
division  was  drawn  up,  and  ordered  an  attack  to  be  at  once 
made  on  the  rebel  right.  Returning  to  his  own  right,  he 
rode  among  the  soldiers,  assuring  them  the  rebels  were  try 
ing  to  cut  out,  and  exhorting  them  to  stand  firm  and  hold 
the  enemy  fast,  while  the  left  assaulted.  The  dispirited  men 
caught  the  idea  and  courage  of  their  commander,  and,  with 
shouts,  began  to  move  to  the  front.  Meantime  Grant  had 
sent  word  to  the  navy  of  what  was  going  on,  and  brave  old 
Foote  run  up  his  crippled  boats,  and  again  opened  on  the 
rebel  forts.  Smith's  division,  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet, 
carried  the  heights  and  captured  the  key  to  the  rebel  posi 
tion.  That  night  Grant  slept  in  a  negro  hut  near  the  rebel 
works,  and  the  weary  troops  bivouacked  on  the  hard-frozen 
ground.  The  rebel  generals  held  a  council  of  war,  and  Floyd, 
who  was  the  ranking  officer,  turned  the  command  over  to  Pil 
low  ;  Pillow,  in  turn,  turned  it  over  to  Buckner,  and  then  both 
lie  and  Floyd  ran  away. 

Next  morning  the  Union  troops  began  stirring  early,  and 
Grant  was  preparing  to  assault  the  rebel  intrenchments,  when 
a  Confederate  bugler  brought  him  a  note  from  Buckner  ask 
ing  him  not  to  assault.  Soon  after  it  was  light,  another  mes 
senger  from  Buckner  reached  Grant,  and  a  white  flag  was 
hoisted  on  Fort  Donelson.  The  rebel  commander  proposed 

*  Grant  was  quite  right,  for  Pillow  says,  in  his  official  report:  "We 
had  fought  the  battle  to  open  the  way  for  our  army,  and  relieve  us 
from  his  (Grant's)  investment.  * 


78  LIFE   OF    GRANT. 

an  armistice  until  twelve  o'clock,  to  settle  jthe  "  terms  of  ca 
pitulation."    Grant  curtly  replied:  "No  terms  other  than  an 


PLAN  OF  THE  SIEGE  OF  FOICT  UONELSOX. 


unconditional  and  immediate  surrender  will  be  accepted.  I 
propose  to  move  immediately  on  your  works."  Buckner  had 
already  said,  in  his  note  to  GraUt,  "Commissioners  would  be 


LIFE    OP    GRANT.  79 

appointed  to  settle  the  terms  of  capitulation  in  accordance 
with  the  circumstances  governing  the  present  situation  of 
affairs,"  and  the  object  of  Grant's  reply  was  to  relieve  his 
Government  of  any  complication.  He  was  determined  not 
to  embarrass  the  authorities  by  recognizing  in  any  doubtful 
way  the  Confederacy,  its  negroes,  rights,  or  property.  "When 
we  remember  the  confusion  then  existing  in  the  public  mind 
in  regard  to  the  Confederacy,  we  can  not  but  admit  the  wis 
dom  of  General  Grant's  action. 


GRANT'S  HEAD-QUARTERS  AT  Four  DONELSON. 

When  he  received  Grant's  terms  he  was  not  well  pleased, 
but  seeing  no  help  for  it,  accepted  "the  ungenerous  and  un- 
chivalrous  conditions."  Grant  at  once  rode  to  Buckner's 
head-quarters  and  cordially  shook  hands  with  the  rebel  gen 
eral,  who  had  been  his  school-mate  at  West  Point.  "Ah," 
said  Buckner,  "if  I  had  been  in  command  yesterday,  Grant, 
you  couldn't  have  reached  Fort  Donelson  so  easily."  Grant, 
good-naturedly,  replied,  "Had  you  been  in  command,  I 
should  have  waited  for  reinforcements  before  attacking,  but 
I  knew  Pillow  would  not  give  me  much  of  a  fight." 

Grant  had  twenty-seven  thousand  men  in  the  battle  of 
Donelson,  arid  lost  two  thousand  and  forty-one  killed, 
wounded,  and  missing;  of  these  four  hundred  and  twenty- 


80 


LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


five  were  killed.     The  rebels  had  about  twenty-one  thou 
sand   men;    of  these   fourteen   thousand   six   hundred   and 


*This  is  a  \view  looking  down  the  river,  in  which  the  remains  of  the 
upper  water-battery  are  seen  in  the  foreground.  In  the  distance,  on 
the  left,  near  which  is  seen  a  steamboat,  is  the  promontory  behind 
which  the  Carondelet  lay  while  bombarding  the  Confederate  works  on 
the  13th.  The  fort  lay  on  the  top  of  the  hill  on  the  extreme  left 
Across  the  river  is  seen  the  shore  to  which  Pillow  escaped  when  he 
stole  out  of  the  fort. — Lossmgs  Civil  War  in  America. 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  81 

twenty-three  were  captured;  three  thousand  escaped  Vith 
Floyd,  one  thousand  with  Forrest,  and  two  thousand  five 
hupdred  were  killed  and  wounded.  Sixty-five  pieces  of 
cannon,  seventeen  thousand  six  hundred  stand  of  small  arms, 
and  a  large  quantity  of  ammunition  also  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  Union  forces. 

When  the  news  of  the  capture  of  Fort  Donelson  reached 
Cairo,  General  Cullum  telegraphed  to  the  North:  "The 
Union  flag  floats  over  Fort  Donelson.  Fifteen  thousand 
prisoners  taken."  This  news  electrified  the  people,  and 
the  wildest  rejoicing  prevailed.  While  the  names  of  Grant 
and  Foote  were  in  every  body's  mouth,  the  President  sent 
Grant's  name  to  the  Senate  as  a  major-general,  and  he  was 
immediately  confirmed,  the  whole  country  applauding. 

The  following  amusing  incident  connected  with  Grant's 
victory  is  related  by  Larke : 

"Several  rumors  had  appeared  in  the  newspaper  press, 
and  had  otherwise  been  publicly  proclaimed,  that  General 
Grant  was  in  the  habit  of  getting  intoxicated.  This  idea 
may  have  arisen  from  his  slovenly  mode  of  attiring  himself, 
or  from  some  other  equally  unreliable  cause.  The  friends 
of  the  Illinois  troops  under  General  Grant's  command,  being 
anxious  for  their  safety,  selected  a  delegation  to  visit  Gen 
eral  Halleck,  and  have  Grant  removed. 

"'You  see,  General,'  said  the  spokesman,  'we  have  a 
number  of  Illinois  volunteers  under  General  Grant,  and  it 
is  not  safe  that  their  lives  should  be  intrusted  to  the  care 
of  a  man  who  so  constantly  indulges  in  intoxicating  liquors. 
Who  knows  what  blunders  he  may  commit?' 

'"Well,  gentlemen,'  said  General  Halleck,  'I  am  satisfied 
with  General  Grant,  and  I  have  no  doubt  you  also  soon 
will  be.' 

"While  the  deputation  were  staying  at  the  hotel,  the  news 
arrived  of  the  capture  of  Fort  Donelson  and  thirteen  thou- 
6 


82  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

sand  prisoners.  General  Halleck  posted  the  intelligence 
himself  on  the  hotel  bulletin,  and  as  he  did  so  he  remarked, 
loud  enough  for  all  to  hear : 

" '  If  General  Grant  is  such  a  drunkard  as  he  is  reported 
to  be,  and  can  win  such  victories  as  these,  I  think  it  is  my 
duty  to  issue  an  order  that  any  man  found  sober  in  St.  Louis 
to-night  shall  be  punished  with  fine  and  imprisonment.' 

"The  people  of  St.  Louis  took  the  hint,  and,  nearly  all 
that  night,  entered  into  the  spirit  of  jollification.  The  tem 
perance  delegation  from  Illinois  were  not  behind  their  neigh 
bors  in  celebrating  the  occasion,  and  with  whisky,  too." 

It  is  hardly  worth  while  to  refer  further  to  General  Grant's 
personal  habits;  but  we  can  not  forbear  making  the  fol 
lowing  quotation  from  the  letter  of  an  officer  who  has  long 
served  on  Grant's  staff.  He  says  : 

"  I  have  seen  him  in  every  phase  of  his  military  life,  and 
I  can  assert  that  the  accusation  of  his  being  a  drunkard  is 
false.  I  have  been  in  the  same  tent  with  him  at  all  hours 
of  the  day  and  night,  and  I  never  kneiv  him  to  be  under  the 
influence  of  liquor,  or  any  thing  even  approaching  it.  I  do 
not  know  what  his  former  life  may  have  been,  but  I  do  know 
that  now  he  is  a  temperate  man." 

The  capture  of  Fort  Donelson  penetrated  the  rebel  line, 
and  necessitated  the  evacuation  of  Nashville,  Bowling  Green, 
and  Columbus.  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  and  Mississippi  were 
thus  freed  from  the  rebel  forces  from  St.  Louis  to  Arkansas. 

Our  soldiers  and  people,  who  were  not  yet  aware  of  the 
effect  of  strategic  battles,  were  amazed  as  they  saw  city  after 
city,  and  long  lines  of  country,  fall  into  our  hands  without 
a  blow.  The  national  spirit  rose,  and  Grant's  army  was 
every-where  praised  as  one  that  the  rebels  were  afraid  to 
meet.  The  increasing  popularity  of  Grant  was  unfortunate 
for  him,  in  that  it  excited  the  alarm  t)f  Halleck.  This  gen 
eral,  old,  able,  and  experienced  as  he  was,  allowed  a  feeling 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  83 

of  jealousy  to  spring  up  in  his  breast,  and  so  thoroughly  did 
it  possess  him,  that  it  ultimately  caused  him  to  do  Grant  a 
great  injustice. 

Soon  after  the  battle  of  Donelson,  a  new  district,  called 
the  District  of  West  Tennessee,  was  created,  and  Grant 
assigned  the  command  of  it,  Brigadier-General  W.  T.  Sher 
man  succeeding  him  in  command  of  the  Cairo  District. 

Grant  at  once  occupied  Clarksville,  fifty  miles  above  Don 
elson,  and  sent  Smith  to  take  possession  of  Nashville.  Gen 
eral  Nelson,  of  Buell's  army,  had  already  taken  the  city,  and 
Grant  immediately  repaired  there  in  person^.  The  enemy 
was  now  at  Chattanooga,  and  Grant  began  fitting  out  expe 
ditions  against  him. 

On  the  3d  of  March,  1862,  Halleck  telegraphed  to  Mc- 
Clcllan :  u  Grant  left  his  command  without  my  authority, 
and  went  to  Nashville.  His  army  seems  to  be  as  much 
demoralized  by  the  victory  of  Fort  Donelson  as  was  that 
of  the  Potomac  by  the  defeat  of  Bull  Run.  It  is  hard  to 
censure  a  successful  general  immediately  after  a  victory, 
but  I  think  he  richly  deserves  it.  I  can  get  no  returns, 
no  reports,  no  information  from  him.  Satisfied  with  his 
victory,  he  sits  down  and  enjoys  it,  without  any  regard  for 
the  future." 

Grant  had  been  hard  at  work,  preparing  to  move  against 
the  enemy,  arid  the  next  day  (March  4th)  was  surprised  to 
receive  from  Halleck  the  following  dispatch:  "You  will 
place  Major-General  C.  F.  Smith  in  command  of  expedition, 
and  remain  yourself  at  Fort  Henry." 

Grant  was  now  a  disgraced  man,  but  bore  his  misfortunes 
as  quietly  as  he  had  his  victories. 

On  the  13th  of  March,  Grant  was  relieved  from  his  dis 
grace,  and  at  once  moved  his  head-quarters  to  Savanna,  and 
began  concentrating  his  troops  for  the  great  battle  of  Shiloh. 


84  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


CHAPTER    V. 

CHANT  RECEIVES  A  HANDSOME  PRESENT GRANT  AT  SAVANNAH GENERAL 

C.   F.  SMITH    AND  GRANT COMPOSITION    OF    THE    TWO  ARMIES — THE    BAT 
TLE-FIELD     OF    SHILOII — POSITION     OF    THE     TROOPS — A.     S.     JOHNSTON'S 

ADDRESS    TO    II  IS     SOLDIERS — SKIRMISHING    BEFORE     THE     BATTLE THE 

BATTLE CONDUCT    OF     LEWIS    WALLACE    AND     NELSON BUELL    ARRIVES 

ON    THE    FIELD WHAT   HE    SAID   TO   GRANT THE    SECOND  DAY'S    BATTLE 

GRANT    AND    THE    FIRST    OHIO    REGIMENT THE    NEW   YORK    HERALD' S 

ACCOUNT  OF  THE  BATTLE — REJOICING  OVER  THE  NEWS COMPLIMENTARY 

ORDER   TO  GRANT  AND  BUELL GRANT'S  CONDUCT  IN  THE  BATTLE. 

BEFORE  Grant  started  for  his  new  head-quarters  at  Sa 
vannah,  his  fellow-officers  presented  him  a  handsome  sword 
at  Fort  Henry,  as  an  appreciation  of  his  skill  as  a  com 
mander  and  their  regard  for  him  as  a  man.  The  sword 
had  two  scabbards — the  service  one  being  of  fine  gilt,  while 
the  parade  scabbard  was  .of  rich  gilt,  mounted  at  the  band. 
The  handle  was  of  ivory,  mounted  with  gold,  and  the  blade 
was  of  the  finest  tempered  steel.  The  sword  was  enclosed 
in  a  fine  rosewood  case,  and  accompanied  by  an  elegant 
sash  and  belt.  On  the  scabbards  were  suitable  inscriptions 
containing  the  names  of  his  regimental  commanders. 

General  C.  F.  Smith,  who  had  been  temporarily  placed  in 
command  of  the  troops  in  the  field,  no  sooner  heard  that 
his  old  commander  was  relieved  from  disgrace,  than  he 
made  haste  to  write  him  :  "  I  am  glad  to  find  that  you  are 
about  to  resume  your  old  command,  from  which  you  were 
so  unceremoniously  and,  as  I  think,  so  unjustly  stricken 
down." 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  85 

The  relations  between  General  Smith  and  Grant  were  of 
a  peculiar  character.  When  Smith  was  commandant  at  the 
Military  Academy,  Grant  was  a  cadet.  He  often  said  he 
felt  an  awe  when  in  the  presence  of  his  old  commandant, 
and  that  it  was  very  difficult  at  first  for  him  to  give  Smith 
an  order.  General  Smith  soon  perceived  this,  and  one  day 
said  to  Grant,  with  great  frankness :  "  General,  I  appreciate 
your  delicacy,  but  I  am  now  a  subordinate,  and  I  know  a 
soldier's  duty;  I  hope  you  will  feel  no  awkwardness  about 
our  new  relations."  Smith  was  sixty  years  old — a  man  of 
great  military  talent,  and  from  the  first  understood  Grant's 
worth  as  a  soldier.  The  old  veteran  did  all  in  his  power  to 
subordinate  himself  to  his  young  chief,  but,  despite  his  ef 
forts,  Grant  never  could  or  would  assume  any  great  author 
ity  over  him;  and  when,  soon  afterward,  the  gallant  veteran 
sickened  and  died  from  disease  brought  on  by  exposure  at 
Fort  Donelson,  Grant  wept  like  a  child. 

Grant  was  now  about  to  engage  in  the  most  important 
movement  that  had  yet  been  made  against  the  Confederacy; 
and  that  the  rebels  were  thoroughly  alive  to  the  danger  of 
his  operations  may  be  gathered  from  the  speeches  of  their 
leading  men  and  the  publications  in  their  journals  at  the 
time. 

The  Florence  (Alabama)  Gazette,  of  March  12,  1862,  had 
the  following  very  significant  article  : 

"We  learned  yesterday  that  the  Unionists  had  landed  a 
very  large  force  at  Savannah,  Tennessee.  We  suppose  they 
are  making  preparations  to  get  possession  of  the  Memphis  and 
Charleston  Railroad.  They  must  never  be  allowed  to  get  this 
great  thoroughfare  in  their  possession,  for  then  we  would  in 
deed  be  crippled.  The  labor  and  untiring  industry  of  too 
many  faithful  and  energetic  men  have  been  expended  on  this 
road  to  bring  it  up  to  its  present  state  of  usefulness  to  let 
it  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy  to  be  used  against  us. 


86  LIFE    OF    URAXT. 

It  must  be  protected.  We,  as  a  people,  are  able  to  protect 
and  save  it.  If  unavoidable,  let  them  have  our  river;  but 
we  hope  it  is  the  united  sentiment  of  our  people  that  we  ivill 
leave  our  railroad" 

General  Grant  arrived  at  Savannah  on  the  17th  of  March, 
and  established  his  head-quarters.  From  this  point  he  could 
best  oversee  his  whole  force  and  assist  in  getting  up  the  re- 
enforcements.  The  rebel  forces  were  estimated  at  over  sixty 
thousand  men,  and  were  concentrated  at  Shiloh,  General  A. 
S.  Johnston  commanding,  and  General  P.  G.  T.  Beauregard 
second  in  command.  The  rebel  army  was  divided  into  three 
corps,  and  the  reserves  as  follows  : 

First  Army  Corps,  Lieutenant-General  L.  Polk. 

Second  Army  Corps,  Lieutenant-General  Braxton  Bragg. 

Third  Army  Corps,  Lieutenant-General  W.  J.  Hardee. 

Reserves,  Major-General  G.  B.  Oittenden. 

The  organization  of  Grant's  army  was  as  follows : 

Commanding  General,  Major-General  U.  S.  Grant. 

First  Division,  Major-General  J.  A.  McClernand. 

Second  Division,  Brigadier-General  W.  H.  L.  Wallace. 

Third  Division,  Major-General  Lewis  Wallace. 

Fourth  Division,  Brigadier- General  S.  A.  Huiibut. 

Fifth  Division,  Brigadier-General  W.  T.  Sherman. 

The  field  on  which  the  two  armies  were  to  contend  was 
on  the  west  bank  of  the  Tennessee,  and,  for  the  most  part, 
densely  wooded  with  tall  trees,  and  but  little  undergrowth. 
The  landing  is  immediately  flanked  on  the  left  by  a  short 
but  precipitous  ravine,  along  which  runs  the  road  to  Corinth. 
On  the  right  and  left,  forming  a  good,  natural  flanking  ar 
rangement,  runs  Snake  and  Lick  Creeks,  which  would  com 
pel  the  attack  of  the  enemy  to  be  made  in  front.  The  dis 
tance  between  the  mouths  of  these  creeks  is  about  two  and 
a  half  miles.  The  battle-ground  of  Pittsburg  Landing  was 
selected  by  General  C.  F.  Smith;  and  all  writers  agree  that 


LIFE    OF   GRANT. 


87 


the  position  was  admirably  chosen.  The  locality  where  the 
fighting  would  take  place  was  in  easy  range  and  protected 
by  the  gunboats  Tyler  and  Lexington.  Buell's  Army  of 


the  Ohio  was  coming  up  to  reenforce  Grant,  and,  although 
the  river  lay  in  rear  of  Grant's  troops,  that  was  also  the 
direction  of  Buell's  advance. 

Grant  had  placed  his  five  divisions  as  follows:  Lewis  Wai- 


88  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

lace's  division — First  Brigade  at  Crump's  Landing;  Second 
Brigade,  two  miles  above  it;  Third  Brigade  at  Adamsville 
— the  whole  division  to  be  held  in  readiness  to  move  down 
and  join  the  main  forces  whenever  circumstances  should 
render  it  necessary.  Prentiss  held  tl^e 
extreme  left  of  the  line,  with  Stuart; 
McClernand  was  at  some  distance  on 
his  right,  and  facing  south-west;  Sher 
man  was  at  Shiloh  Church,  on  the  right 
of  McClernand,  and  in  advance  of  him ; 
Ilurlbut  and  W.  II.  L.  Wallace,  a  mile 
in  rear  of  McClernand,  in  reserve — the 
former  supporting  the  left,  and  the  lat 
ter  the  right  wing.  Grant's  whole  force  consisted  of  about 
thirty-eight  thousand  men. 

It  was  the  evident  design  of  the  rebel  commanders  to 
attack  and  overwhelm  Grant's  fojces  before  the  Army  of 
the  Ohio,  under  Buell,  could  come  up  to  his  support. 
While  Grant  was  anxiously  awaiting  the  approach  of  Buell's 
army,  a  question  of  rank  arose  between  McClernand  and 
Smith,  arid  to  settle  the  matter,  Grant  had  to  move  his 
head-quarters  from  Savannah  to  Pittsburg  Landing,  and  per 
sonally  assume  command  of  the  forces  in  the  field. 

It  was  now  the  6th  day  of  April,  1862,  and  the  first  day 
of  the  great  battle  of  Shiloh,  or,  as  it  is  more  frequently 
called,  Pittsburg  Landing.  Skirmishing  had  been  going 
on  since  the  2d,  and  on  the  3d  the  rebel  commander  had 
issued  a  stirring  address  to  his  army. 

"  Soldiers  of  the  Army  of  the  Mississippi-' 

"I  have  put  you  in  motion  to  offer  battle  to  the  invaders 
of  your  country,  with  the  resolution  and  discipline,  and 
valor  becoming  men,  fighting,  as  you  are,  for  all  worth  liv 
ing  or  dying  for.  You  can  but  march  to  a  decisive  vie- 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  89 

tory  over  agrarian  mercenaries,  sent  to  subjugate  and  des 
poil  you  of  your  liberties,  property,  and  honor. 

"Remember  the  precious  stake  involved  ;  remember  the 
dependence  of  your  mothers,  your. wives,  your  sisters,  and 
your  children,  on  the  result.  Remember  the  fair,  broad, 
abounding  lands,  the  happy  homes,  that  will  be  desolated 
by  your  defeat.  The  eyes  and  hopes  of  eight  million  peo 
ple  rest  upon  you.  You  are  expected  to  show  yourselves 
worthy  of  your  valor  and  courage,  worthy  of  the  women 
of  the  South,  whose  noble  devotion  in  this  war  has  never 
been  exceeded  in  any  time.  With  such  incentives  to  brave 
deeds,  and  with  trust  that  God  is  with  us,  your  general 
will  lead  you  confidently  to  the  combat,  assured  of  success 

"By  order  of 
"  General  A.  S.  JOHNSTOX,  Commanding" 

/ 

On  the  4th  of  April  the  enemy  felt  Sherman's  front  with 

such  force  that  many  thought  a  battle  imminent.  Grant 
rode  out  to  the  front,  and  as  he  was  returning  after  dark, 
through  the  rain,  his  horse,  in  crossing  a  log,  slipped  and 
fell  on  his  rider,  who  received  a  severe  contusion,  and  for 
over  a  week  he  suffered  acute  pains  and  was  lame.  It  was 
this  circumstance  that  originated  the  newspaper  report  that 
Grant  was  drunk  and  thrown  from  his  horse  at  the  battle  of 
Shiloh. 

On  the  evening  of  the  4th,  General  Lewis  Wallace  re 
ported  eight  regiments  of  rebel  infantry  at  Purdy,  and  an 
equal,  if  not  a  larger  force,  at  Bethel.  Grant  ordered  W. 
H.  L.  Wallace  to  support  Lewis  Wallace's  division,  if  nec 
essary,  and  then  returned  to  Savannah,  promising  to  come 
up  to  the  front  early  next  morning.  On  the  5th,  the  rebel 
cavalry  had  been  very  active,  coming  down  boldly  on  Sher 
man's  front,  and  driving  in  the  Union  vedettes.  The 
same  evening,  the  head  of  Nelson's  column,  belonging  to 


90  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

Buell's  Army,  arrived  at  Savannah,  and  reported  Buell 
rapidly  coming  up.  Grant  at  once  ordered  Nelson  to  take 
position  south  of  Savannah,  five  miles  from  Pittsburg  Land 
ing,  and  hold  himself  in  readiness  to  reenforce  the  army 
on  the  left  bank. 

The  morning  sun  rose  bright  and  clear  on  the  6th  of 
April,  and  gayly  shone  on  the  tents  of  two  great  armies. 
The  birds  sang  cheerily  in  the  tree-tops,  and  there  was 
nothing  to  indicate  the  terrible  tragedy  that  was  soon  to  be 
enacted  in  those  quiet  groves.  Who  could  have  believed, 
on  that  bright  April  morning,  that  the  green  sod  beneath 
our  feet  would  soon  be  slippery  with  human  gore,  and  the 
firm  earth  trembling  beneath  the  charge  of  enraged  thou 
sands?  Yet  it  was  so;  the  charge,  the  repulse,  the  calling 
to  repeated  action ;  the  bearing  of  a  thousand  bosoms  in  a 
moment  to  whatever  there  is  terrible  in  death  and  war ;  the 
groans  of  the  wounded  and  dying — 

"This  is  war  that  in  a  day 

Can  rob  a  nation  of  its  peace ; 
Aye,  rob  a  nation  of  itself, 
And  still  it  will  not  cease." 

The  rebels  had  breakfasted  at  three  o'clock  in  the  morn 
ing,  and  at  early  dawn  laid  aside  their  knapsacks  and 
stripped  for  the  bloody  contest.  Portions  of  the  Union 
army  were  still  wrapped  in  slumber  when  the  battle  began, 
and  others  were  lazily  preparing  their  breakfast. 

Neither  Grant  nor  Sherman  had  expected  a  battle  on  the 
6th,  and  it  was,  therefore,  with  some  surprise  the  next 
morning  Grant,  while  eating  an  early  breakfast  with  his 
staff,  preparatory  to  riding  out  in  search  of  Buell,  heard 
such  heavy  firing  in  the  direction  of  the  landing  as  to  con 
vince  him  a  severe  action  was  in  progress.  Hastily  dispatch 
ing  Buell  a  note,  informing  him  a  battle  had  begun,  and 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  91 

ordering  Nelson  to  move  his  command  to  the  river  hank, 
Grant  went  on  board  a  transport  arid  hastened  to  the  front. 
He  stopped  for  a  moment,  on  his  way  up  the  river,  at 
Crump's  Landing,  to  see  Lewis  Wallace,  and  instruct  him 
in  person  as  to  what  he  would  be  expected  to  do  in  the 
battle. 

The  onset  had  begun  by  forty  thousand  rebels  precipitating 
themselves  suddenly  on  Prentiss'  little  division  and  com 
pletely  doubling  it  up.  Sherman's  division  was  next 
attacked,  and  for  a  time  held  the  rebels  in  check,  but  the 
troops  being  new  and  green,  soon  gave  way  and  were  forced 
back  through  their  camp,  which  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
rebels.  McClernand  promptly  moved  up  to  support  Sher 
man's  wavering  left,  and  Hurlbut  marched  forward  to  the 
support  of  Prentiss.  W.  II.  L.  Wallace  had  taken  position 
in  rear  of  Sherman,  and  was  supporting  the  center  and  left 
of  the  line  where  the  rebel  attack  was  most  furious. 

Lewis  Wallace  had  been  sent  for,  and  ordered  to  come 
up  and  connect  with  Sherman's  right,  but  he  never  came. 
Early  in  the  action,  part  of  the  brigade,  composed  of  raw 
men,  and  stationed  on  Sherman's  left,  broke  and  fled  to  the 
rear  in  great  confusion ;  this  necessitated  a  change  of 
position,  and  Sherman  swung  back  his  left,  turning  on  the 
right  as  a  pivot.  Soon  afterward  Sherman's  whole  line 
was  forced  back,  but  he  skillfully  connected  his  left  with 
McClernand's  right,  keeping  his  own  right  well  out  to  pre 
vent  any  flank  movement  of  the  enemy.  The  enemy  never 
could  get  round  Sherman's  flank,  and,  despite  their  efforts, 
he  held  until  night  the  important  crossing  of  Snake  Creek 
bridge.  Sherman  was  unceasing  in  his  efforts  to  keep  his 
men  up  to  the  work  and  beat  the  enemy ;  although  re 
peatedly  wounded,  he  refused  to  leave  the  field  for  a  moment, 
even  to  have  his  wounds  dressed. 

At  ten  A.  M.  the  battle  was  raging  fiercely,  and  Grant 


92  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

rode  to  Sherman's  front  and  commended  him  highly  for  his 
skill  in  opposing  the  enemy.  The  cartridges  were  now 
giving  out,  but  Grant,  with  careful  foresight,  had  started 
Colonel  Pride,  of  his  staff,  to  the  front  with  an  ammunition 
train,  and  this  gallant  officer,  forcing  his  wagons  over  the 
narrow  and  crowded  road,  arrived  just  in  time  to  supply  the 
empty  cartridge-boxes  of  the  Union  soldiers. 

At  intervals  all  day  Grant  was  engaged  in  sending  forward 
deserters  to  their  commands,  forming  new  lines  out  of  those 
who  straggled  to  the  rear,  and  putting  them  into  action 
again.  He  was  on  every  part  of  the  field  constantly  under 
fire,  and  making  unwearied  exertions  to  maintain  his  position 
until  Nelson  and  Lewis  Wallace  should  come  up.  As  hour 
after  hour  wore  on,  and  still  Nelson  and  Wallace  did  not 
come,  the  Union  forces  fell  suddenly  back  toward  the 
landing,  contracting  their  lines  as  they  retreated.  Nelson 
had  been  ordered  to  march  at  seven  o'clock,  but  did  not 
move  out  until  after  one,  although,  from  the  sound  of  the 
cannon,  he  must  have  known  a  fearful  struggle  was  going  on 
in  his  front.  No  sufficient  excuse  has  ever  been  offered  for 
this  officer's  conduct.  Lewis  Wallace,  who  had  been  per 
sonally  instructed  by  General  Grant  to  hold  his  forces  in 
readiness  to  reenforce  the  troops  on  the  left  bank  when  he 
was  sent  for,  set  his  column  in  motion  and  marched  five 
miles  the  wrong  direction,  although  he  had  been  on  the 
ground  a  month,  and  his  men  had  helped  to  build  a  bridge 
over  Snake  Creek  for  just  such  an  emergency  as  now 
occurred.  When,  finally,  Colonel  (afterward  Major-Genera?) 
McPherson  reached  him  and  set  him  right,  it  took  him  from 
one  o'clock  until  seven  at  nigFit  to  march  five  miles  in  the 
direction  of  the  battle,  the  cannonading  being  heard  at  the 
same  time  at  Nashville,  two  hundred  miles  away. 

On  the  evening  of  the  5th  inst.,  Grant  had  gone  down  to 
Savannah   to  meet  General   Buell,  but   that   officer  having 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  93 

failed  to  come  up,  to  the  hour  of  the  opening  of  the  battle, 
at  the  landing  on  the  morning  of  the  6th,  Grant,  before 
starting  to  the  front,  wrote  and  dispatched  to  Buell  by 
courier  the  following  note :  u  Heavy  firing  is  heard  up  the 
river,  indicating  plainly  that  an  attack  has  been  made  upon 
our  most  advanced  positions.  I  have  been  looking  for  this, 
but  did  not  believe  that  the  attack  could  be  made  before 
Monday  or  Tuesday.  This  necessitates  my  forming  the 
forces  up  the  river,  instead  of  meeting  you  to-day  as  I  had 
contemplated."  Buell  had  written  General  Grant  on  the 
5th :  "  I  shall  be  in  Savannah  myself  to-morrow  with,  per 
haps,  two  divisions.  Can  you  meet  me  there?"  To  which 
Grant  had  at  once  replied :  u  Your  dispatch  just  received. 
I  will  be  at  Savannah  to  meet  you  to-morrow.  The  enemy 
at  and  near  Corinth  are  probably  sixty  to  eighty  thousand." 
This  accounts  for  Grant  being  at  Savannah,  instead  of  with 
his  command  when  the  battle  commenced,  a  matter  about 
which  some  writers  have  made  severe  and  unjust  comments. 
About  ten  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  battle,  Grant, 
hearing  that  General  Wood,  with  the  Second  Division  of 
Buell's  army,  had  arrived  at  Savannah,  sent  him  the  follow 
ing  order:  "You  will  move  your  command  with  the  utmost 
dispatch  to  the  river  at  this  point  (landing),  where  steamers 
will  be  in  readiness  to  transport  you  to  Pittsburg."  Still 
later  in  the  day  another  dispatch  was  sent  to  the  command 
ing  officer  of  Buell's  advance  forces,  urging  him  to  hurry  up, 
and  closing  by  saying:  "My  head-quarters  will  be  in  the  log 
building  on  the  top  of  the  hill,  where  you  will  be  furnished 
a  staff  officer  to  conduct  you  to  your  place  on  the  field."  At 
three  o'clock  Buell  arrived  on  the  field  in  person.  He  had 
reached  Savannah  in  the  morning  with  another  division  of' 
his  command,  and  hearing  a  battle  was  raging  at  the  front, 
had  hastened  on  ahead  of  his  troops.  As  he  rode  through 
the  s \varms  of  cravens  who  had  run  away  from  the  front  and 


94 


LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


crowded  the  landing,  or  cowered  under  the  banks  of  the 
river,  Buell  no  doubt  made  up  his  mind  that  Grant's  army 
was  whipped.  Almost  the  first  words  he  said  to  Grant 
when  they  met,  were:  "What  preparations  have  you  made 
for  retreating,  General  ?"  "  I  have  not  despaired  of  whipping 
them  yet,"  was  Grant's  quiet  response. 


Ilnrlbut's    command   was    now    slowly    falling    back,    but 
raked  the  rebels  well  each  time  they  charged.     On  Hurlbut's 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  95 

right  W.  II.  L.  Wallace  was  gallantly  fighting,  and  repelled 
four  desperate  assaults,  but  was  finally  forced  to  fall  b:ick 
toward  the  landing.  About  four  o'clock  the  troops  on  his 
right  and  left  having  retired,  Prentiss  stubbornly  continued 
the  fight  with  his  shattered  division,  until  the  rebels  swept 
round  his  flanks  and  captured  him  and  four  regiments.  The 
Union  line  now  lay  in  a  semicircle  on  the  river,  their  flanks 
resting  on  Snake  and  Lick  Creeks.  With  their  backs  to  the 
river,  the  soldiers  knew  it  would  be  death  and  destruction  to 
give  way,  and  they  stood  firm  as  a  rock  on  their  short  line, 
hurling  back  the  rebels  like  waves  from  the  shore.  .The 
rebels  came  on  again  and  again,  but  each  time  retired 
shattered  and  torn,  only  to  be  brought  up  again  by  their 
officers  and  launched  against  the  invincible  line  of  boys  in 
blue.  A  battery  of  guns  had  been  admirably  posted  by 
Colonel  Webster,  of  Grant's  staff,  and  mowed  down  the 
rebels ;  the  gunboats  Tyler  and  Lexington  had  also  opened 
fire,  and  dropped  their  terrible  missiles  in  the  midst  of  the 
dense  ranks  of  the  enemy,  where  they  exploded  with  fearful 
carnage.  The  rebels  seeing  they  could  not  drive  the  Union 
line  into  the  river,  slackened  their  fire  and  sullenly  retired 
as  night  crept  over  the  hills,  and  put  an  end  to  the  contest. 
When  the  battle  began  to  wane,  Grant  was  at  Sherman's 
front,  and  at  once  gave  him  orders  to  advance  and  renew 
the  battle  early  on  the  following  morning.  He  said  "  the 
rebel  fury  is  spent,  the  turning  point  has  been  reached  ; 
whoever  renews  the  fight  will  win."  He  told  to  Sherman 
the  story  of  Donelson ;  how  at  one  time  he  saw  that  either 
side  was  ready  to  give  way  if  the  other  showed  a  bold  front; 
and  he  determined,  in  consequence,  to  do  that  very  thing ; 
how  he  had  advanced  his  jaded  troops,  and  the  enemy  had 
surrendered.  The  appearances  on  the  field  of  Shiloh,  he 
said,  were  the  same,  and  the  enemy  would  be  beaten  on  the 
morrow. 


96 


LIFE    OF   GRANT. 


During  the  night  of  the  6th,  Bucll  busied  himself  in  get 
ting  his  troops  up.  Nelson's  column,  and  nearly  all  of 
Crittenden's  and  McCook's  divisions  were  ferried  across 
the  river,  and  put  in  position.  All  night  long  the  gun 
boats  dropped  shells,  at  intervals,  on  the  rebel  lines,  and 
the  woods  caught  fire,  lighting  up  the  battle-field  for  miles 
away.  But  for  a  merciful  shower  of  rain,  thousands  of  help 
less  wounded  wquld  have  been  burned  to  death  on  that  blaz 
ing  battle-field.  Grant  had  after  dark  visited  every  division, 
and  encouraged,  by  his  presence,  the  officers  and  men.  To 
each  he  said:  "As  soon  as  it  is  light  enough  to  see  attack 
with  a  heavy  skirmish  line,  and  when  you  have  found  the 
enemy,  throw  upon  him  your  whole  force,  leaving  no  re 
serve.  " 

The  new  line  of  battle  now  stood  in  the  following  order : 
Lewis  Wallace's  division  on  the  right;  Sherman,  McCler- 
nand,  and  Ilurlbut,  from  right  to  left ;  McCook  next,  with 
Crittenden  on  his  left,  and  Nelson  on  the  extreme  left. 

The  fighting  began  early, 
and,  for  a  time,  was  obsti 
nate;  but  the  rebels  were 
gradually  pushed  back  until 
all  the  ground  lost  the  day 
before  had  been  regained. 
By  two  o'clock  the  Union 
victory  was  complete,  and 
Beauregard  in  full  retreat. 
During  the  battle  on  the 
7th,  Grant  met  the  First  Ohio 
Regiment  inarching  toward 
the  northern  part  of  the  field, 


EFFECTS  OF  A  SHOT  NF.AH  SHILOII  MEKTINO- 

11OCBE. 


and  immediately  in  front  of 
a  position  which  it  was  important  should  be  taken.  The 
regiment  on  the  left  was  fighting  hard,  but  about  to  yield, 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  97 

in  fact,  had  given  way,  when  Grant  called  upon  the  Ohio 
boys  to  change  direction,  and  charge.  The  soldiers  recog 
nized  their  leader,  and,  with  a  cheer,  obeyed,  Grant  rid 
ing  along  through  the  storm  of  lead  cheering  them  on. 
The  retreating  troops  seeing  what  was  going  on,  took  cour 
age,  and  rallying,  with  loud  shouts,  drove  the  enemy  from 
their  strong  position. 

Grant  rode  along  in  the  piece  of  woods  toward  the  left 
of  the  line,  where  he  met  McCook  and  Crittenden.  It  was 
now  late  in  the  day,  but  Grant  was  anxious  to  push  on  after 
the  beaten  and  retreating  rebels.  McCook  and  Crittenden 
said  their  troops  were  too  much  fatigued  to  continue  the 
pursuit,  and  so  the  Union  forces  encamped. 


BURNING  HORSES  ox  THK  FIELD  OF  SHILOH. 

Grant's  loss,  including  Buell's  army,  was  twelve  thousand 
two  hundred  and  seventeen ;  of  these,  seventeen  hundred 
were  killed,  seven  thousand  four  hundred  and  ninety-five 
wounded,  and  three  thousand  and  twenty-two  missing.  Two 
thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty-seven  of  the  losses  were  in 
the  Army  of  the  Ohio.  Beauregard  reported  a  total  loss  of 
ten  thousand  six  hundred  arid  ninety-nine  killed,  wounded, 


98  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

and  missing ;  but  as  our  burying  parties  buried  four  thousand 
of  his  dead,  his  loss  must  have  been  much  larger. 

The  New  York  Herald,  which  contained  the  first  authentic 
account  of  the  battle,  said  of  General  Grant  and  his  staff: 

"  General  Grant  and  staff,  who  had  been  recklessly  riding 
along  the  lines  during  the  entire  day,  amid  the  unceasing 
storm  of  bullets,  grape,  and  shell,  now  rode  from  right  to 
left,  inciting  the  men  to  stand  firm  until  our  reinforcements 
could  cross  the  river. 

"About  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  General  Grant 
rode  to  the  left  where  the  fresh  regiments  had  been  ordered, 
and,  finding  the  rebels  wavering,  sent  a  portion  of  his  body 
guard  to  the  head  of  each  of  five  regiments,  and  then  or 
dered  a  charge  across  the  field,  himself  leading ;  and  as  he 
brandished  his  sivord  and  waved  them  on  to  ihe  crowning  vic 
tory,  the  cannon-balls  were  falling  like  hail  around  him." 

The  Herald  sums  up  its  account  as  follows  : 

"There  has  never  been  a  parallel  to  the  gallantry  and 
bearing  of  our  officers,  from  the  commanding  general  to  the 
lowest  officer. 

"General  Grant  and  staff  were  on  the  fieldj  riding  along 
the  lines  in  the  thickest  of  the  enemy's  fire  during  the  en 
tire  two  days  of  the  battle,  and  all  slept  on  the  ground 
Sunday  night,  during  a  heavy  rain.  On  several  occasions 
General  Grant  got  within  range  of  the  enemy's  guns,  and 
was  discovered  and  fired  upon. 

"  Lieutenant-Colonel  McPherson  had  his  horse  shot  from 
under  him  when  along-side  of  General  Grant. 

"  Captain  Carson  was  near  General  Grant  when  a  cannon- 
ball  took  off  his  head,  and  killed  and  wounded  several  others. 

"  General  Sherman  had  two  horses  killed  under  him,  and 
General  McClernand  shared  like  dangers ;  also  General 
Hurlbut,  each  of  whom  received  bullet  holes  through  their 
clothes. 


LIFE   OF   GRANT.  99 

"  The  publication  of  the  Herald's  account  so  soon  after 
the  battle,  created  a  great  excitement  among  the  citizens 
of  New  York,  and  during  the  day  it  was  telegraphed  to 
the  National  Capitol  and  to  other  parts  of  the  Union." 

Mr.  Bennett  telegraphed  the  account  to  the  President 
and  to  both  Houses  of  Congress,  in  which  it  was  read 
aloud.  In  the  lower  House,  Mr.  Colfax,  on  asking  leave 
to  read  the  dispatch,  was  greeted  on  all  sides  of  the  House 
with  cries  of  "To  the  Clerk's  desk."  The  previous  noise 
and  excitement  subsided,  and  as  the  House  listened  to  the 
brief  and  pregnant  details  of  the  bloody  struggle  which 
preceded  the  glorious  victory  over  the  concentrated  strength 
of  rebeldom,  all  hearts  were  stilled,  and  the  very  breathing 
almost  suppressed,  till  the  last  word  of  the  dispatch  was 
read.  The  rejoicing  was  great  at  the  victory,  though 
somewhat  saddened  at  the  price  of  blood  with  which  it  had 
been  purchased. 

On  the  9th  of  April,  the  War  Department  issued  the 
following  complimentary  order  to  all  concerned : 

"WAR  DEPARTMENT,  WASHINGTON,  April  9th,  1862. 
[EXTRACT.] 

"  The  thanks  of  the  department  are  hereby  given  to  Gen 
erals  Grant  and  Buell  and  their  forces,  for  the  glorious  re 
pulse  of  Beauregard,  at  Pittsburg,  in  Tennessee." 


100  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

1IALLECK  ASSUMES  COMMAND  OF  THE  ARMY — GRANT'S  ENEMIES  AGAIN  BUSY 

WASHBURN'S  DEFENSE  OF  HIM — ADVANCE  ON  CORINTH — DIGGING  AND 

DITCHING LETTERS  FROM  A  UNION  SOLDIER ELLIOT'S  RAID PURSUIT 

OF  THE  ENEMY  FROM  CORINTH GRANT'S  POSITION HE  IS  PLACED  IN 

COMMAND  OF  THE  DISTRICT  OF  TENNESSEE — HALLECK  SUCCEEDS  M'CLEL- 
LAN — GRANT  AND*  THE  REBELS — GRANT  AND  THE  NEWSPAPERS- — HOW  HE 
TREATED  GUERRILLAS PRICE'S  RAID ADVANCE  ON  IUKA THE  BAT 
TLE DEFEAT  AND  ESCAPE  OF  THE  REBELS BATTLE  OF  CORINTH — DE 
FEAT  AND  RETREAT  OF  THE  REBELS GRANTS  CONGRATULATORY  ORDER 

TO  HIS  ARMY MR.  LINCOLN'S  DISPATCH. 

IMMEDIATELY  on  hearing  of  the  battle  at  Pittsburg  Land 
ing,  General  Halleck  set  out  from  St.  Louis  to  assume 
command  of  the  combined  armies  operating  along  the  Ten 
nessee.  Before  his  arrival,  however,  Grant  had  sent  Sher 
man  up  the  river  with  some  troops  and  gunboats  to  destroy 
the  bridges  over  the  Big  Bear  Creek,  which  he  did,  thus 
cutting  Corinth  off  from  Richmond.  On  the  22d  of  April 
General  Pope  came  up  from  New  Madrid  with  his  army, 
twenty-five  thousand  strong,  and  on  the  30th  General  Wal 
lace  was  sent  through  Purdy  and  four  miles  beyond  to  de 
stroy  the  bridge  across  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  Railroad,  which 
was  effectually  done,  cutting  off  the  rebel  reinforcements 
coming  from  Jackson,  Tennessee.  The  "  Grand  Army,"  as 
it  was  now  called,  consisted  of 

The  Army  of  the  Ohio  (center),  under  General  Buell. 
•     The  Army  of  the  Mississippi  (left),  under  General  Pope. 

The  Army  of  the  Tennessee  (right),  under  General  Grant. 

This  grand  army  was  composed  of  sixteen  divisions,  eight 


LIFE    OF    QUANT.  101 

of  which  formed  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  and  were  placed 
under  the  immediate  command  of  General  Grant;  four  un 
der  General  Pope,  and  four  under  General  Buell.  General 
Grant's  command  was,  therefore,  as  large  as  the  two  other 
armies  combined,  and  was  divided  into  the  "right"  or  active 
wirfg,  under  General  Thomas,  and  the  "reserve"  under 
General  McClernand. 

False  reports  had  again  been  circulated  against  General 
Grant  by  his  enemies,  and  the  battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing 
represented  as  a  useless  loss  of  human  life.  So  busy  were 
his  detractors,  and  so  general  the  outcry  raised  against  him 
by  the  journals  and  the  friends  of  the  men  who  fell  at  Shiloh, 
that  even  Congressmen  joined  in  and  urged  his  removal. 
The  governors  from  the  Western  States  came  down  in  a 
body  to  Pittsburg  Landing  and  requested  General  Halleck 
to  send  General  Grant  away  from  the  army.  It  was  well 
known  that  General  Halleck  was  not  favorably-disposed 
toward  General  Grant;  but  he  was  a  just  man,  and  instead 
of  yielding  to  the  popular  clamor  against  one  whom  he  knew 
to  be  a  good  officer,  he  stood  firmly  by  him,  and  on  the  1st 
of  May  raised  him  to  second  in  command  of  the  combined 
armies.  It  was  about  this  time  the  Hon.  E.  B.  Washburn 
came  to  Grant's  defense  in  the  halls  of  Congress.  Rising  in 
his  seat  on  the  2d  of  May,  Mr.  Washburn  said : 

"  MR.  SPEAKER  :  I  will  only  trouble  the  House  for  a  few 
moments;  but  when  justice  claims  to  be  heard,  it  is  said  that 
a  nation  should  be  silent.  Lamartine,  in  his  celebrated  his 
tory  of  the  Girondins,  speaking  of  one  of  those  incidents  so 
characteristic  of  the  French  Revolution,  says : 

'"The  news  of  the  victory  of  Hondschoote  filled  Paris 
with  joy.  But  even  the  joy  of  the  people  was  cruel.  The 
convention  reproached  as  a  treason  the  victory  of  a  victo 
rious  general.  Its  commissioners (to  the  army  of  the  North, 
Hentz,  Peyssard,  and  DuqVi'^ricy;  depos*^  'Houchard,  and 


102  LIFE    01'    UK  A  XT. 

sent  him  to  the  revolutionary  tribunal. '  .  .  .  '  The  un 
fortunate  Houchard  was  condemned  to  death,  and  met  his 
fate  with  the  intrepidity  of  a  soldier  and  the  calmness  of  an 
innocent  man/  .  .  .  'It  was  shown  that  even  victory 
was  not  protection  against  the  scaffold.' 

"It  may  be  inquired  whether  in  this  rebellion  history  is 
not  repeating  itself.  I  come  before  the  House  to  do  a  great 
act  of  justice  to  a  soldier  in  the  field,  and  to  vindicate  him 
from  the  obloquy  and  misrepresentations  so  persistently  and 
cruelly  thrust  before  the  country.  I  refer  to  a  distinguished 
general  who  has  recently  fought  the  bloodiest  and  hardest 
battle  ever  fought  on  this  continent,  and  won  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  victories.  I  refer  to  the  battle  of  Pittsburg  Land 
ing,  and  to  Major-General  Ulysses  S.  Grant 

"Let  no  gentleman  have  any  fears  of  General  Grant.  He 
is  no  candidate  for  the  Presidency.  He  is  no  politician. 
Inspired  by  the  noblest  patriotism,  he  only  desires  to  do 
his  whole  duty  to  his  country.  When  the  war  shall  be  over 
he  will  return  to  his  home,  and  sink  the  soldier  in  the  simple 
citizen.  Though  living  in  the  same  town  with  myself,  he 
has  no  political  claims  on  me ;  for,  so  far  as  he  is  a  politican, 
he  belongs  to  a  different  party.  He  has  no  personal  claims 
upon  me  more  than  any  other  constituent.  But  I  came 
here  to  speak  as  an  Illinoisian,  proud  of  his  noble  and  pa 
triotic  State;  proud  of  its  great  history  now  being  made 
up ;  proud,  above  all  earthly  things,  of  her  brave  soldiers, 
who  are  shedding  their  blood  upon  all  the  battle-fields  of 
the  Republic.  If  the  laurels  of  Grant  shall  ever  be  with 
ered,  it  will  not  be  done  by  the  Illinois  soldiers  who  have 
followed  his  victorious  banner. 

"I  see  before  me  my  friend  from  Pennsylvania  [Mr. 
McPherson]  which  reminds  me  of  a  friend  of  us  both — 
young  Baugher,  a  lieutenant  in  ,the  lead-mine  regiment, 
who,  wounded  s<x  times,  refused  to  leave  the  field;  arid 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  103 

when  finally  carried  off,  waved  his  sword  in  defiance  to  the 
enemy.  But  who  shall  attempt  to  do  justice  to  the  bravery 
of  the  soldiers  and  the  daring  and  skill  of  the  officers ;  who 
shall  describe  all  the  valor  exhibited  on  those  days;  who 
shall  presume  to  speak  of  all  the  glory  won  on  that  blood 
stained  field?  I  have  spoken  of  those  more  particularly 
from  my  own  part  of  the  State;  but  it  is  because  I  know 
them  "best,  and  not  because  I  claim  more  credit  for  them 
than  I  know  to  be  due  to  the  troops  from  all  parts  of  the 
State.  They  all  exhibited  the  same  bravery,  the  same  un 
bounded  devotion,  the  same  ardor  in  vindicating  the  honor 
and  glory  of  the  flag,  and  maintaining  the  prestige  of  our 
State. 

"  Sir,  I  have  detained  the  House  too  long,  but  I  have  felt 
called  upon  to  say  this  much.  I  came  only  to  claim  public 
justice;  the  battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing,  though  a  bloody 
one,  yet  it  will  make  a  bright  page  in  our  history.  The 
final  charge  of  General  Grant  at  the  head  of  his  reserves 
will  have  a  place,  too,  in  history.  While  watching  the  pro 
gress  of  the  battle  on  Monday  afternoon,  word  came  to  him 
that  the  enemy  was  faltering  on  the  left.  With  the  genius 
that  belongs  only  to  the  true  military  man,  he  saw  that 
the  time  for  the  final  blow  had  come.  In  quick  words  he 
said,  'Now  is  the  time  to  drive  them.'  It  was  worthy  the 
world-renowned  order  of  Wellington,  'Up,  Guards,  and  at 
them.' 

"Word  was  sent  by  his  body-guard  to  the  different  regi 
ments -to  be  ready  to  charge  when  the  order  was  given; 
then,  riding  out  in  front,  amid  a  storm  of  bullets,  he  led 
the  charge  in  person,  and  Beauregard  was  driven  howling 
to  his  intr.enchments.  His  left  was  broken,  and  a  retreat 
commenced  which  soon  degenerated  into  a  perfect  rout. 
The  loss  of  the  enemy  was  three  to  our  two  in  men,  and  in 
much  greater  proportion  in  the  demoralization  of  an  army 


104 


LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


which  follows  a  defeat.  That  battle  has  laid  the  foundation 
for  finally  driving  the  rebels  from  the  South-west.  So  much 
for  the  battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing,  which  has  evoked  such 
unjust  and  cruel  criticism,  but  which  history  will  record  as 
one  of  the  most  glorious  victories  that  has  ever  illustrated 
the  annals  of  a  great  nation." 

The  great  Union  army  was  now  slowly  moving  up  toward 
Corinth,  so  slowly,  indeed,  that  it  took  it  six  weeks  to  march 


fifteen  miles.  Halleck,  thoroughly  alarmed  by  the  outcry 
against  Grant,  intrenched  every  foot  of  the  ground  as  he 
went,  although  the  enemy  made  no  offensive  movement. 
On  the  3d  of  May  the  Union  advance  was  eight  miles  from 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  105 

* 

Corinth,  and  the  same  day  Pope  sent  Paine's  and  Palmer's 
divisions  to  Farmington,  where,  on  the  9th,  they  attacked 
and  drove  out  four  thousand  rebels  under  Price,  Van  Dorn, 
and  Marmaduke.  The  three  armies  were  moving  in  echelon 
with  great  caution,  and  intrenching  at  every  step. 

Consultation  and  digging  was  now  the  occupation  of  the 
armies.  If  they  advanced  a  mile  or  two,  it  was  only  to  es 
tablish  a  new  parallel  and  halt  for  a  week.  So  time  dragged 
along  until  the  17th  of  May,  when  Sherman,  with  his  Fifth 
Division,  got  a  lick  at  the  enemy  at  Russel's  house,  and  sent 
him  flying  toward  Corinth.  At  length,  on  the  21st,  the  ar 
mies  were  ftiirly  in  line  three  miles  from  Corinth,  and  the 
soldiers  in  expectation  of  and  anxious  for  the  battle  to  begin. 
Halleck,  having  pronounced  his  funeral  oration  over  the  dead 
Confederacy,  went  out  to  look  for  the  corpse,  but  found  the 
body  gone,  Beauregard  having  retreated  some  days  before. 
All  the  great  Union  armies  got  for  their  six  weeks'  digging 
and  trenching,  were  a  few  old  telegraph  offices,  some  empty 
bottles  and  dirty  linen  that  the  rebels  had  left  behind. 

The  following  letter  from  a  Union  soldier  describes  so 
exactly  the  manner  of  conducting  a  gradual  advance,  that 
we  quote  it  entire  : 

"First,  the  enemy  must  be  driven  back.  Regiments  and 
artillery  are  placed  in  position,  and  generally  the  cavalry 
is  in  advance,  but  when  the  opposing  forces  are  in  close 
proximity,  the  infantry  does  the  work.  The  whole  front  is 
covered  by  a  cloud  of  skirmishers,  and  then  reserves  formed, 
and  then,  in  connection  with  the  main  line,  they  advance. 
For  a  moment  all  is  still  as  the  grave  to  those  in  the  back 
ground.  As  the  line  moves  on,  the  eye  is  strained  in  vain  to 
follow  the  skirmishers  as  they  creep  silently  forward;  then, 
from  some  point  of  the  line,  a  single  rifle  rings  through  the 
forest,  sharp  and  clear,  and,  as  if  in  echo,  another  answers 
it.  In  a  moment  more  the  whole  line  resounds  with  the  din 


106  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

f 

of  arms.  Here  the  fire  is  slow  and  steady,  there  it  rattles 
with  fearful  rapidity,  and  this  mingled  with  the  great  roar 
of  the  reserves  as  the  skirmishers  chance  at  any  point  to  be 
driven  in  ;  and  if,  by  reason  of  superior  force,  these  reserves 
fall  back  to  the  main  force,  then  every  nook  and  corner 
seems  full  of  sound.  The  batteries  open  their  terrible 
voices,  and  their  shells  sing  horribly  while  winging  their 
flight,  and  their  dull  explosion  speaks  plainly  of  death.  Their 
canister  and  grape  go  crashing  through  the  trees,  rifles  ring, 
the  muskets  roar,  and  the  din  is  terrific.  Then  the  slacken 
ing  of  the  fire  denotes  the  withdrawing  of  the  one  party, 
and  the  more  distant  picket  firing,  that  the  work  was  accom 
plished.  The  silence  becomes  almost  painful  after  such  a 
scene  as  this,  and  no  one  can  conceive  of  the  effect  who  has 
not  experienced  it ;  it  can  not  be  described.  The  occasional 
firing  of  the  pickets,  which  shows  that  the  new  lines  are 
established,  actually  occasions  a  sense  of  relief.  The  move 
ments  of  the  mind,  under  such  circumstances,  are  sudden 
and  strong.  It  awaits  with  intense  anxiety  the  opening  of 
the  contest,  it  rises  with  the  din  of  battle,  it  sinks  with  the 
lull  which  follows  it,  and  finds  itself  in  fit  condition  to 
sympathize^  most  deeply  with  the  torn  and  bleeding  ones  that 
are  fast  being  borne  to  the  rear. 

"When  the  ground  is  clear,  then  the  time  for  working 
parties  has  arrived,  and  as  this  is  the  description  of  a  real 
scene,  let  me  premise  that  the  works  were  to  reach  through 
the  center  of  a  large  open  farm  of  at  least  three  hundred 
acres,  surrounded  by  woods,  one  side  of  it  being  occupied 
by  rebel  pickets.  These  had  been  driven  back,  as  I  have 
described. 

"The  line  of  the  works  was  selected,  and  at  the  word  of 
command  three  thousand  men,  with  axes,  spades,  and  picks, 
stepped  out  into  the  open  field  from  their  cover  in  the  woods. 
In  almost  as  short  a  time  as  it  takes  to  tell  it,  the  fence-rails 


LIFE    OF    (JRANT.  107 

» 

which  surrounded  and  divided  three  hundred  acres  into 
convenient  farm-lots  were  on  the  shoulders  of  the  men,  and 
on  the  way  to  the  intended  line  of  works.  In  a  few  moments 
more  a  long  line  of  crib-work  stretches  over  the  slope  of  the 
hill,  as  if  another  anaconda  fold  had  been  twisted  around  the 
rebels.  Then,  as  for  a  time,  the  ditches  deepen,  the  cribs 
fill  up,  the  dirt  is  packed  on  the  outer  side,  the  bushes  and 
all  points  of  concealment  are  cleared  from  the  front,  and  the 
center  divisions  of  our  army  had  taken  a  long  stride  toward 
the  rebel  works.  The  siege-guns  are  brought  up  and  placed 
in  commanding  positions.  A  log-house  furnishes  the  hewn 
and  seasoned  timber  for  the  platforms,  and  the  plantation 
of  a  Southern  lord  has  been  thus  speedily  transferred  into 
one  of  Uncle  Sam's  strongholds,  where  the  stars  and  stripes 
float  proudly." 

On  the  27th,  Colonel  Elliott,  with  the  Second  Michigan 
Cavalry,  had  been  sent  out  along  the  Tuscumbia  road  to 
Cartersville  and  Boonesville,  a  distance  of  twenty-five  miles 
from  Corinth.  His  expedition  was  entirely  -successful, 
capturing  and  destroying  at  Boonesville  five  cars  loaded 
with  arms,  five  containing  loose  ammunition,  six  filled  with 
officers'  baggage,  and  five  with  subsistence  stores.  The 
rebels  attempted  to  cut  off  and  capture  Elliott,  but  the  bold 
raider  skillfully  eluded  them,  and  returned  in  safety  to 
Pope's  army. 

As  soon  as  General  Halleck  found  the  rebels  had  escaped 
from  Corinth,  he  ordered  the  pursuit.  Gordon  Granger, 
with  a  battery  of  artillery  and  a  brigade  of  infantry,  drove 
small  bodies  of  the  enemy  through  Boonesville  and  across 
Twenty-mile  Creek  to  Baldwin  and  Guntown,  where  he 
halted,  learning  that  Beauregard  was  in  strong  position  at 
Tupelo,  by  Old  Town  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the  Tombigbee. 
On  the  9th  of  June,  1862,  Halleck  reported  that  the  enemy 
had  fallen  back  fifty  miles  from  Corinth  by  the  nearest 


IDS 


LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


railroad  route,  and  seventy  miles  by  wagon  road,  and  that 
he  wns  watching  him. 

Grant  was   particularly  active 
during  the  operations  around  Cor 
inth,    and    had    been    constantlv 
in  the  field  making  valuable  sug 
gestions,    and    aiding    in    every 
way  he  could  to  make  the  cam 
paign    a    success.      His   position 
was   a   painful   one,    being  nom 
inally   second   in    command,    but 
virtually  a    figure-head    to    Hal- 
leek's    staff;    he,    however,    bore 
his  misfortunes  with  resignation, 
and   patiently  waited    for   better 
days,  which  soon  came,  by  Hal- 
leek  being  ordered  to  Washington 
and  Grant  placed  in  command  of 
the  army  and  district  of  Tennes 
see.     Before  starting  for  Wash 
ington  to  assume  the  position  of 
Commander-in-Chief   of    all    the 
armies  of  the  Republic  in  place 
of   McClellan,  removed,   Halleck 
called    at    the    tent    of    Robert 
Allen,  a  quartermaster,  with  the 
rank  of  Colonel,  and  offered  him 
command  of  the  army  at  Corinth, 
but  Colonel  Allen  declined,  where 
upon  Halleck  allowed  Grant  to  retain  the  command.     This 
curious    piece    of    business    has    never   been    satisfactorily 
explained. 

All  the  country  from  the  Mississippi  River  to  the  western 
shores  of  the  Tennessee,  Cairo,  Forts  Henry  and  Donelson, 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  109 

the  western  shore  of  the  Mississippi  River,  and  the  northern 
part  of  the  State  of  Mississippi,  was  formed  into  the  "De 
partment  of  West  Tennessee."  Of  this  department  Gen 
eral  Grant  was  made  the  commander,  with  his  head-quarters 
at  Corinth. 

Memphis,  which  had  surrendered  on  June  6th,  1862,  soon 
sifter  the  evacuation  of  Corinth,  and  had  been  occupied  at 
once  by  the  Union  forces,  now  formed  part  of  this  depart 
ment,  and  became,  by  this  time,  a  very  important  post,  both 
as  a  base  of  operations  and  of  supplies. 

The  rebels  gave  General  Grant  great  trouble  by  carrying 
on  an  illicit  trade  through  the  lines,  and,  after  issuing  vari 
ous  orders  forbidding  such  trade,  and  cautioning  persons  not 
to  engage  in  it,  General  Grant,  finding  his  orders  unheeded, 
on  the  10th  day  of  July  summarily  commanded  that — 

The  families  now  residing  in  the  city  of  Memphis,  of  the 
following  persons,  are  required  to  move  south,  beyond  the 
lines,  within  five  days  from  the  date  hereof: 

First.  All  persons  holding  commissions  in  the  so-called 
Confederate  army,  or  who  have  voluntarily  enlisted  in  said 
army,  or  who  accompany  and  are  connected  with  the  same. 

Second.  All  persons  holding  office  under  or  in  the  em 
ploy  of  the  so-called  Confederate  Government. 

Third.  All  persons  holding  State,  county,  or  municipal 
offices,  who  claim  allegiance  to  said  so-called  Confederate 
Government,  and  who  have  abandoned  their  families  and 
gone  South. 

The  rebel  guerrillas  now  began  to  rob  plantations,  mur 
der  Union  men,  and  commit  all  sorts  of  outrages,  when  Gen 
eral  Grant  ordered  that  wherever  loss  w.as  sustained  by  the 
Government,  collections  should  be  made,  by  seizure  of  a  suf 
ficient  amount,  of  personal  property,  from  persons  in  the 
immediate  neighborhood  sympathizing  with  the  rebellion, 


110  LIFE   OP   GRANT. 

to  remunerate  the  Government  for  all  loss  and  expense  of 
the  same. 

Persons  acting  as  guerrillas,  without  organization,  and 
without  uniform  to  distinguish  them  from  private  citizens, 
were  not  entitled  to  the  treatment  of  prisoners  of  war  when 
caught,  and  would  not  receive  such  treatment. 

As  many  of  the  guerrillas  were  the  sons  of  rich  rebel 
planters,  this  order  suited  their  cases  exactly ;  for  however 
willing  they  were  to  aid  the  Confederacy,  and  have  their  sons 
rob,  pillage,  and  murder,  they  were  not  quite  willing  to  pay 
Union  men  for  losses  of  property  sustained  at  the  hands 
of  even  such  good  rebels  as  their  guerrilla  sons.  But,  in 
addition  to  the  expense  of  guerrilla  warfare,  it  was  found 
to  be  quite  unsafe,  when,  the  next  few  days  after  the  issuing 
of  General  Grant's  order,  General  Dodge  telegraphed  from 
Trenton,  Tennessee,  to  Grant : 

"  GENERAL  :  The  man  who  guided  the  rebels  to  the  bridge 
that  was  burned  was  hung  to-day.  He  had  taken  the  oath. 
The  houses  of  four  others  who  aided  have  been  burned  to 
the  ground." 

The  rebel  newspapers  which  had  been  encouraging  guer 
rilla  outrages  now  became  very  abusive  of  General  Grant 
and  the  Union  cause,  when  the  General  summarily  wound 
the  matter  up,  in  a  three-line  letter  to  the  editor  of  the 
Memphis  Avalanche,  in  the  following  words : 

"  You  will  suspend  the  further  publication  of  your  paper. 
The  spirit  with  which  it  is  conducted  is  regarded  as  both 
incendiary  and  treasonable,  and  its  issue  can  not  longer  be 

tolerated. 

U.  S.  GRANT,  Major- General. 

It  was  now  the  19th  of  September,  1862.  The  rebel 
Price,  with  twelve  thousand  men,  had  marched  to  luka, 
driving  before  him  the  Union  garrisons  of  Tuscumbia  and 


LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


Ill 


Jacinto,  and  capturing  at  luka  a  large  quantity  of  supplies 
left  behind  by  Colonel  Murphy,  who  retreated  precipitately, 
with  his  command,  to  Corinth.  Grant  had  been  quietly  wait 
ing  to  ascertain  the  exact  position  and  whereabouts  of  Van 
Dorn  and  other  rebel  commanders,  and,  having  obtained  the 
desired  information,  he  at  once  ordered  Rosecrans  to  move, 
with  nine  thousand  men,  by  way  of  Rienzi,  and  Ord,  to  move, 
from  Bolivar  and  Jackson,  with  eight  thousand  soldiers — both 
forces  to  concentrate  on  luka  as  rapidly  as  possible,  and 
simultaneously  attack  Price. 

On  the  18th  of  Sep 
tember  Grant  was  at 
Burnsville,  and  Ord, 
with  his  forces,  within 
four  miles  of  luka. 
Rosecrans  was  still 
some  twenty  miles  dis 
tant  from  luka,  having 
been  detained  by  the 
bad  condition  of  the 
roads.  At  seven  o'clock 
he  sent  a  dispatch  to 
General  Grant,  which 

Grant  received  at  midnight,  saying  he  could  not  possibly 
get  up  before  two  o'clock  the  next  day.  This  gave  Grant 
great  uneasiness,  as  he  had  ordered  General  Ord  to  attack 
next  day,  and  was  in  hourly  expectation  of  hearing  of  the 
advance  of  Van  Dorn  on  Corinth,  which  would  necessitate 
the  rapid  withdrawal  of  Ord's  forces  from  luka  to  defend 
Corinth.  Trains  of  empty  cars  were  brought  up  to  Burns 
ville,  to  carry  back  Ord's  troops  if  Van  Dorn  should  ad 
vance,  and  the  developments  of  the  next  few  hours  were 
awaited  with  the  utmost  anxiety. 

Ord  was  instructed  to  wait  until  he  heard  the  firing  of 


VIEW  ON  IUKA  BATTLE-FIELD. 


112  LIFE    OF    GRANT.  k 

Kosecrans,  and  then  attack.  At  four  o'clock,  having  made 
a  forced  march,  Rosecrans  arrived  at  Barnett's  farm,  near 
luka,  on  the  Jacinto  road.  A  strong  force  of  rebels  sud 
denly  attacked  the  head  of  his  column,  driving  it  in,  and  the 
battle  began.  The  ground  was  exceedingly  broken,  covered 
with  thickets,  and  full  of  ravines.  The  fighting  was  heavy, 
and  done  mostly  by  Hamilton's  division,  the  nature  of  the 
ground  being  such  that  large  bodies  of  troops  could  not  be 
brought  into  action.  Rosecrans  held  his  own,  but  lost  a 
battery,  and  seven  hundred  and  thirty-six  men,  killed  and 
wounded.  At  one  o'clock  at  night,  Rosecrans  wrote  Grant : 
"  We  have  met  the  enemy,  and  had  an  engagement  of  sev 
eral  hours'  duration.  The  firing  was  very  heavy,  and  we 
lost  two  or  three  pieces  of  artillery.  You  must  attack  in 
the  morning  in  force.  The  ground  is  horrid,  unknown  to 
us,  and  no  room  for  development.  We  could  not  use  our  ar 
tillery  at  all,  and  fired  but  few  shots.  Push  on  to  them  until 
we  can  have  time  to  do  something.  We  will  try  to  get  a  po 
sition  on  our  right  which  will  take  luka. 

Grant  was  astonished  that  Ord,  in  obedience  to  orders, 
had  not  attacked  the  rebels  simultaneously  with  Rosecrans, 
and  he  at  once  wrote  him:  "Unless  you  can  create  a  diver 
sion  in  favor  of  Rosecrans,  he  may  find  his  hands  full."  The 
wind  had  been  blowing  all  day  to  the  south  and  east,  and  no 
sound  of  the  conflict  raging  so  near  had  reached  Ord.  In 
the  evening,  howe.ver,  some  negroes  brought  word  of  the 
battle,  and  in  the  morning  he  moved  promptly  on  luka  be 
fore  he  received  Grant's  note.  During  the  night,  the  rebels, 
who  supposed  themselves  shut  up  in  the  town,  were  informed 
by  Dr.  Burton,  a  rebel,  that  Rosecrans'  forces  were  all  on 
one  road,  and  that  the  Fulton  road,  to  the  south,  was  still 
open.  Price  hastily  gathered  his  troops  together,  and,  leav 
ing  his  sick  and  wounded  behind,  beat  a  hasty  retreat. 

The  following  letter  from  a  rebel  soldier,  published  in  the 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  113 

Montgomery  Advertiser,  September,  1862,  contains  matter 
of  interest  in  this  connection  : 

"  We  held  peaceable  possession  of  luka  for  one  day,  and 
on  the  next  were  alarmed  by  the  booming  of  cannon,  and 
were  called  out  to  spend  the  evening  in  battle  array  in  the 
woods.  On  the  evening  of  the  19th,  wiien  we  supposed  we 
were  going  back  to  camp,  to  rest  awhile,  the  sharp  crack 
of  musketry  on  the  right  of  .our  former  lines  told  us  that  the 
enemy  was  much  nearer  than  we  imagined.  In  fact,  they 
had  almost  penetrated  the  town  itself.  How  on  earth,  with 
the  woods  full  of  our  cavalry,  they  could  have  approached 
so  near  our  lines,  is  a  mystery.  They  had  planted  a  bat 
tery  sufficiently  near  to  shell  General  Price's  head-quarters, 
and  were  cracking  away  at  the  Third  Brigade,  when  the 
Fourth  came  up  at  double-quick,  and  then,  for  two  hours 
and  fifteen  minutes,  was  kept  up  the  most  terrific  fire  of 
musketry  that  ever  dinned  my  ears.  There  was  one  con 
tinuous  roar  of  small  arms,  while  grape  and  canister  howled 
in  fearful  concert  above  our  heads  and  through  our  ranks. 
General  Little  was  shot  dead  early  in  the  action. 
It  was  a  terrible  struggle,  arid  we  lost  heavily.  All  night 
could  be  heard  the  groans  of  the  wounded  and  dying,  form 
ing  a  sequel  of  horror  and  agony  to  the  deadly  struggle, 
over  which  night  had  kindly  thrown  its  mantle.  Saddest  of 
all,  our  dead  were  left  unburied  and  many  of  the  wounded 
on  the  battle-field  to  be  taken  in  charge  by  the  enemy. 

"  Finding  that  the  enemy  were  being  reenforced  from  the 
North,  and  as  our  strength  would  not  justify  us  in  trying 
another  battle,  a  retreat  was  ordered,  and  we  left  the  town 
during  the  night.  The  enemy  pressed  our  rear  the  next 
day,  arid  were  only  kept  off  by  grape  and  canister. 

"It  grieves  me  to  state  that  acts  of  vandalism,  disgrace 
ful  to  any  army,  were,  however,  perpetrated  along  the  line 
of  retreat,  and  makes  me  blush  to  own  such  men  as  my 


114  LIFE    OF    01UXT. 

countrymen.  Corn-fields  were  laid  waste,  potato  patches 
robbed,  barn-yards  and  smoke-houses  despoiled,  hogs  killed, 
and  all  kinds  of  outrages  perpetrated  in  broad  daylight  and 
in  full  view  of  the  officers.  The  advance  and  retreat  were 
alike  disgraceful,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  women  and  chil 
dren  along  the  route  will  cry  for  the  bread  which  has  been 
rudely  taken  from  them  by  those  who  should  have  protected 
and  defended  them."  .  .  .  • 

When  Grant  arrived  at  luka,  at  nine  o'clock  on  the 
morning  after  the  battle,  he  was  deeply  mortified  at  the  es 
cape  of  the  rebels,  having  fully  determined  to  capture  Price. 
A  vigorous  pursuit  was  at  once  ordered,  but  the  enemy  had 
got  so  far  on  the  road,  he  could  not  be  overtaken,  and,  ex 
cept  some  small  skirmishes  with  the  rear-guard,  nothing 
more  was  seen  of  him.  Rosecrans  reported  the  rebel  loss 
at  luka,  at  fourteen  hundred  killed  and  wounded,  among 
others,  the  rebel  General  Little  killed,  and  Whitefield 
wounded. 

Van  Dorn,  Lovell,  and  Price  now  concentrated  their  troops 
at  and  near  Ilipley,  Tippah  County,  Mississippi,  with  the 
evident  intention  of  attacking  Corinth.  On  the  22d  of 
September,  Grant  moved  his  head-quarters  to  Jackson,  put 
Rosecrans  in  command  at  Corinth,  and  sent  Ord  to  Bolivar. 
The  rebel  forces  at  La  Grange  and  Ripley  were  threatening 
both  Bolivar  and  Corinth,  and  it  was  impossible  to  telt  which 
place  they  would  attack.  On  the  first  of  October,  Grant  tel 
egraphed  to  Washington:  "My  position  is  precarious,  but 
I  hope  to  get  out  all  right."  On  the  2d  the  rebels  under 
Van  Dorn,  Price,  Lovell,  Villepigue,  and  Rust,  appeared 
before  Corinth  in  great  array,  and  skirmishing  continued  for 
two  days. 

The  morning  of  the  4th  of  October  ushered  in  the  battle. 
The  rebels  came  on  through  the  woods  and  across  the  fields, 
with  heads  averted  like  men  striving  to  protect  themselves 


LIFE   OF   GRANT.  115 

from  a  driving  storm  of  hail.  They  crossed  the  broad  glacis, 
and,  with  a  yell,  rushed  upon  Davis'  division  on  the  right,  scat 
tering  a  part  of  it;  but  Rosecrans,  sword  in  hand,  dashed 
in  and  restored  order,  and  hurled  back  the  Confederates. 
They  came  on  again  and  again,  but  each  time  the  Union  troops 
under  Davis,  Hamilton,  Hackleman,  Oglesby,-and  the  bat 
teries  under  Williams,  Powell,  Dillon,  and  Robinette,  drove 
back  the  rebels  with  terrible  slaughter.  At  noon  the  rebels 
retired,  leaving  in  the  hands  of  the  Union  soldiers  fourteen 
hundred  and  twenty- three  dead  and  wounded,  and  twenty- 
five  hundred  prisoners.  The  National  loss  was  three  hun 
dred  killed,  eighteen  hundred  and  twelve  wounded,  and  two 
hundred  and  thirty-two  prisoners  and  missing. 

During  the  battle,  Grant  was  in  constant  telegraphic  com 
munication  with  Rosecrans  and  Hurlbut  from  Grand  Junc 
tion.  Orel,  from  Bolivar,  and  McPherson,  from  Jackson, 
were  marching  down  upon  the  rebel  rear.  McPherson  came 
up  during  the  fight,  and  being  unable  to  get  to  the  garrison, 
swept  around  the  rebel  flank,  and  made  a  brilliant  charge 
on  his  rear. 

Rosecrans  had  nineteen  thousand  men  in  the  battle,  and 
the  rebels  thirty-eight  thousand. 

The  rebels  retreated  toward  the  Hatchie,  closely  pursued 
by  the  Union  forces.  On  the  morning  of  the  5th,  Hurlbut's 
and  Orel's  troops  formed  a  junction,  anel  Ord  assumed  com 
mand.  A  severe  fight  took  place  at  the  crossing  of  Hatchie 
River,  the  rebel  advance-guard  suffering  a  heavy  loss,  and 
Ord  capturing  two  batteries  and  two  hundred  prisoners. 

On  the  6th,  Rosecrans  telegraphed  Grant:  "The  enemy 
is  totally  routed,  throwing  every  thing  away.  We  are  fol 
lowing  sharply." 

And  on  the  7th,  Grant  telegraphed  General  Halleck: 
"  Under  previous  instructions,  General  Hurlbut  is  also  fol 
lowing.  General  McPherson  is  in  the  lead  of  General 


116  LIFE    OF    G1UNT. 

Rosecrans'  column.     The  rebel  General  Martin  is  said  to 
be  killed." 

Grant  issued,  on  the  7th  of  October,  1862,  a  congratu 
latory  order  to  his  troops,  wherein,  after  returning  his 
heartfelt  thanks,  for  the  victories  vouchsafed  the  Republic 
on  the  3d,  4th,  and  5th  instant,  he  says : 

"  The  enemy  chose  his  own  time  and  place  of  attack,  and 
knowing  the  troops  of  the  West  as  he  does,  and  with  great 
facilities  for  knowing  their  numbers,  never  would  have  made 
the  attempt  except  with  a  superior  force  numerically.  But 
for  the  undaunted  bravery  of  officers  and  soldiers,  who  have 
yet  to  learn  defeat,  the  efforts  of  the  enemy  must  have 
proven  successful. 

"While  one  division  of  the  army,  under  Major-General 
Rosecrans,  was  resisting  and  repelling  the  onslaught  of  the 
rebel  hosts  at  Corinth,  another,  from  Bolivar,  under  Major- 
General  Hurlbut,  was  marching  upon  the  enemy's  rear, 
driving  in  their  pickets  and  cavalry,  and  attracting  the 
attention  of  a  large  force  of  infantry  and  artillery.  On  the 
following  day,  under  Major-General  Ord,  these  forces  ad 
vanced  with  unsurpassed  gallantry,  driving  the  enemy  back 
across  the  Hatchie,  over  ground  where  it  is  almost  incredi 
ble  that  a  superior  force  should  be  driven  by  an  inferior, 
capturing  two  of  the  batteries  (eight  guns),  many  hundred 
small  arms,  and  several  hundred  prisoners 

"  As  in  all  great  battles,  so  in  this,  it  becomes  our  fate  to 
mourn  the  loss  of  many  brave  and  faithful  officers  and 
soldiers,  who  have  given  up  their  lives  as  a  sacrifice  for  a 
great  principle.  The  nation  mourns  for  them." 
•  President  Lincoln,  when  he  had  received  the  intelligence 
from  General  Grant  announcing  the  victories  at  Corinth  and 
on  the  Hatchie,  dispatched  to  him  the  following  congratu 
lations  and  inquiries : 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  117 

"I  congratulate  you  and  all  concerned  in  your  recent 
battles  and  victories.  How  does  it  all  sum  up?  I  espe 
cially  regret  the  death  of  General  Hackleman,  and  am  very 
anxious  to  know  the  condition  of  General  Oglesby,  who  is 
an  intimate  personal  friend.  A.  LINCOLN." 

The  disasters  in  the  East  were  in  part  retrieved  by  these 
brilliant  victories  of  General  Grant  in  the  West,  but,  as  on 
former  occasions,  his.  enemies  robbed  him  of  the  credit  justly 
due  him,  and  the  honors  were  conferred  on  others.  He  did 
not  complain,  however,  but  was  happy  in  the  reflection  of 
having  done  his  duty,  as  a  soldier,  and  been  able  to  con 
tribute  something  to  the  welfare  of  the  Republic. 


118  LIFE   OF    GRANT. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

CHARACTER  OF  GRANT HALLECK  AND  GRANT  COMPARED — OPENING  OF  THE 

MISSISSIPPI ADVANCE    TO    GRAND    JUNCTION COLONEL    LEIi's    RAID 

GRANT'S  ADMINISTRATIVE  ABILITY — HE  ESTABLISHES  CONTRABAND  CAMPS 
SEVERITY    OF    HIS    DISCIPLINE — THE    COTTON    TRADE — ANECDOTE    OF 

GRANT— GRANT    AND    THE     JEWS HE     REDUCES     THE     BAGGAGE    OF     HIS 

ARMY — ADVANCE     ON      VICKSBURG SURRENDER     OF      HOLLY     SPRINGS 

GRANT  FALLS    BACK ORGANIZATION    OF  HIS    ARMY SHERMAN'S    EXPEDI 
TION    AGAINST    VICKSBURG REPULSE    OF     SHERMAN — FULL    ACCOUNT    OF 

THE  FIRST  ATTACK  ON  VICKSBURG CAPTURE  OF  ARKANSAS  POST GRANT 

DETERMINED   TO  CAPTURE  VICKSBURG HIS  TELEGRAM  TO  HALLECK. 

THERE  perhaps  never  was  a  person  so  little  appreciated 
and  more  misunderstood  than  General  Grant.  Notwith 
standing  he  has  displayed  talents  second  to  no  man  since 
the  days  of  Washington,  yet  there  are  hundreds  of  people 
who  know  him  personally,  and  tens  of  thousands  that  know 
him  by  reputation,  who  do  not  believe  that  Grant  is  really 
a  great  man.  It  was  so  in  the  army,  and  Badeau  has  given 
us  some  little  insight  to  the  character  of  this  truly  remarka 
ble  soldier  and  citizen.  "Grant's  extreme  simplicity  of  be 
havior  and  directness  of  expression  imposed  on  various 
officers  a"bove  and  below  him.  They  thought  him  a  good, 
plain  man,  who  had  blundered  into  one  or  two  successes, 
and  who,  therefore,  could  not  be  immediately  removed ;  but 
they  deemed  it  unnecessary  to  regard  his  judgment  or  count 
upon  his  ability.  His  superiors  made  their  plans,  inva 
riably,  without  consulting  him,  and  his  subordinates  some 
times  sought  to  carry  out  their  own  campaigns  in  opposition 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  119 

or  indifference  to  his  orders,  not  doubting  that,  with  their 
superior  intelligence,  they  could  conceive  and  execute  tri 
umphs  which  would  excuse  or  even  vindicate  their  cause. 
It  is  impossible  to  understand  the  early  history  of  the  war 
without  taking  into  account  that  neither  the  Government 
nor  its  important  commanders  gave  Grant  credit  for  intel 
lectual  ability  or  military  genius." 

"  His  other  qualities  were  rated  low  also.  Because  he  was 
patient,  some  thought  it  impossible  to  provoke  him,  and 
because  of  his  calmness  it  was  supposed  that  he  was  stolid. 
In  battle  or  in  campaigning  he  did  not  seem  to  care  or  con 
sider  so  much  what  the  enemy  was  doing,  as  what  he  him 
self  meant  to  do ;  and  this  trait  to  enthusiastic,  and  even 
brilliant,  soldiers  appeared  inexplicable.  A  great  comman 
der,  it  was  imagined,  should  be  nervous,  excitable,  inspiring 
his  men  and  captivating  his  officers ;  calling  private  soldiers 
by  their  names ;  making  eloquent  addresses  in  the  field,  and 
waving  his  drawn  sword  in  the  battle.  Great  commanders 
had  done  all  these  things  and  won,  and  many  men  who 
could  do  all  these  things  fancied  themselves,  therefore,  great 
commanders.  Others  imagined  wisdom  to  consist  in  science 
alone ;  they  sought  success  in  learned  and  elaborate  plans, 
requiring  months  to  develop ;  and  when  the  enemy  was  im 
mediately  before  them,  they  maneuvered  when  it  was  time 
to  fight;. they  intrenched  when  they  should  have  attacked, 
and  studied  their  books  when  the  field  should  have  been 
their  only  problem." 

Grant  was  like  none  of  these.  If  he  possessed  acquire 
ments  he  seemed  unconscious  of  them ;  he  made  no  allusion 
to  schools,  and  never  hesitated  to  transgress  their  rules 
when  occasion  required  or  seemed  to  demand  it.  So  he 
neither  won  men's  hearts  by  blandishments,  nor  effected 
their  imagination  by  brilliancy  of  behavior;  nor  did  he  seem 
profound  to  those  who  are  impressed  only  by  display  of 


120  LIFE    OF    URAXT.  % 

learning.  lie  never  looked  wise  nor  pretended  to  know 
much  about  any  subject  that  was  brought  before  him.  He 
listened  to  the  theories  of  all  who  came  to  him,  and  each 
one  went  away  proud  of  his  superior  judgment,  and  confi 
dent  he  had  impressed  and  enlightened  the  stolid  and  stupid 
General.  Men  smiled  when  great  civil  questions  pressed 
upon  him,  and  wondered  what  he  would  do  with  them  ;  and 
when,  with  easy  and  happy  judgment,  he  disposed  of  them, 
all  agreed  that  it  was  Grant's  luck,  and  not  his  wisdom,  that 
had  found  the  solution.  From  the  day  when  he  cut  the 
neutrality  knot  in  Kentucky,  by  marching  his  troops  to  Pa- 
ducah,  down  to  the  hour  when  he  received  the  sword  of  Lee, 
at  the  Appottomax  apple-tree,  his  military  career  was  one 
of  continued  success  and  surprise  to  both  his- friends  and 
foes.  And,  again,  when  the  President  placed  him  in  the 
War  Department,  a  position  every  one  thought  he  had  no 
particular  ability  for,  he  astonished  the  country  by  retrench 
ing  at  once  the  expenses  of  the  military  establishment  in 
one  month,  saving  the  people  some  millions  of  money,  and 
so  directing  the  affairs  of  his  office  that  the  nation  saw  in 
him  one  of  the  ablest  war  ministers  it  had  ever  had.  When 
General  Grant  dies  and  his  character  and  career  come  to 
be  sifted  and  understood,  it  will  be  found  that  no  such  man 
has  lived  in  America  since  the  days  of  George  Washington. 

On  the  26th  of  October,  1862,  General  Grant,  who  had 
long  been  meditating  the  opening  of  the  Mississippi  to  the 
Gulf,  communicated  what  was  on  his  mind  to  General 
Halleck,  in  the  following  words:  "If  you  would  give  me 
some  small  reinforcements,  I  think  I  would  be  able  to  move 
down  the  Mississippi  Central  Railroad  and  cause  the  evacu 
ation  of  Vicksburg."  This  is  the  first  mention  we  find 
made  in  the  military  dispatches  of  the  place  destined 
afterward  to  become  so  famous  in  the  history  of  the  rebellion. 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  121 

Halleck,  who  was  essentially  a  defensive  soldier,  made  haste 
to  telegraph  Grant :  "  Be  prepared  to  concentrate  your 
troops  in  case  of  an  attack."  The  minds  of  the  two  soldiers 
were  entirely  of  a  different  order.  Halleck  was  a  strategist, 
Grant  a  fighter;  Halleck  valued  places,  Grant  only  the 
winning  of  battle-fields  ;  Halleck  would  risk  nothing,  Grant 
all ;  Halleck  was  always  prepared  for  defeat,  Grant  always 
expected  to  win  ;  Halleck  counted  his  success  by  the  number 
of  towns  and  cities  he  could  capture,  Grant  by  the  number 
of  generals  and  armies  he  could  defeat ;  the  one  reasoned 
that  when  the  enemy  had  no  soil  or  cities  to  defend  he 
would  surrender,  the  other  said  that  when  .the  enemy  was 
beaten,  the  soil  and  cities  would  of  necessity  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  victor. 

Grant  receiving  information  that  General  Pemberton, 
who  had  succeeded  Van  Dorn,  was  strongly  fortified  on  the 
Tallahatchie,  with  his  advance  out  as  far  as  La  Grange 
and  Grand  Junction,  determined  to  attack  him ;  so,  not 
withstanding  the  caution  about  concentrating  his  troops  for 
an  attack,  Grant,  on  the  2d  of  November,  telegraphed 
Halleck:  "I  have  commenced  a  movement  on  Grand  Junc 
tion,  with  three  divisions  from  Corinth  and  two  from  Bolivar." 
Taking  command  in  person,  he  went  to  Holly  Springs  and 
Grenada,  completing  the  telegraph  and  railroad  as  he  went. 
Holly  Springs  is  twenty-five  miles  from  Grand  Junction; 
Grenada  one  hundred  miles  from  Grand  Junction,  and  the 
Tallahatchie  river  about  fifty  miles  from  Grand  Junction. 

In  the  latter  part  of  October,  1862,  Grant  had  sent  out 
an  expedition,  under  Colonel  A.  L.  Lee,  of  the  Seventh 
Kansas  Cavalry,  who  had  gone  as  far  as  the  towns  of 
Orizaba  and  Ripley,  both  of  which  places  he  had  captured 
and  held  for  some  time,  and  then  returned  in  safety  to 
Grand  Junction,  On  the  4th  of  November,  General  Grant 
having  removed  his  head-quarters  to  La  Grange,  he  sent  out 


122  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

Colonel  Lee  again  with  fifteen  hundred  cavalry  to  Hudson-, 
ville,  near  which  place  Lee  engaged  a  large  body  of  rebel 
cavalry  in  flank  with  part  of  his  force,  while  he  sent  the 
other  half  on  to  Hudsonville.  Lee  routed  the  cavalry  op 
posed  to  him,  capturing  one  hundred  and  thirty-four  prisoners, 
with  their  horses,  and  killing  sixteen.  He  also  learned  that 
Lovell  had  moved  his  rebel  force  from  his  camp  north  of 
Holly  Springs,  and  was  in  the  hills  just  beyond  with  two 
divisions ;  that  Pemberton  had  come  up  from  Jackson,  and 
Price  was  seven  miles  from  Holly  Springs  with  twelve 
thousand  men,  while  a  large  conscript  camp  was  being  formed 
at  Abbeville.  So  ably  had  Colonel  Lee  conducted  his 
expedition,  and  so  valuable  was  the  information  he  obtained, 
that  General  Grant,  on  his  return  to  La  Grange,  at  once 
recommended  this  gallant  officer  for  promotion  to  brigadier- 
general. 

Administrative  duties  again  claimed  the  attention  of 
General  Grant,  and  he  set  to  work  with  energy  to  correct 
the  abuses  and  irregularities  existing  in  his  department. 
The  negroes  were  escaping  in  large  numbers  and  entering 
his  camp,  giving  no  little  trouble.  They  had  not  yet  been 
declared  free,  and  their  masters  were  continually  reclaiming 
them  and  carrying  them  back  into  slavery.  Grant  was  at  heart 
an  earnest  abolitionist,  but  the  laws  and  customs  of  the  country 
were  against  him,  and  he  could  do  but  little  toward  aiding 
the  slaves  to  obtain  their  freedom.  He,  however,  as  early 
as  November  14,  1862,  issued  an  order  establishing  con 
traband  camps,  and  directed  that  all  slaves  entering  the 
lines  of  the  Union  army  should  be  sent  to  them  fed,  clothed, 
and  given  employment  until  the  Government  should  adopt 
some  definite  policy  regarding  slavery.  A  number  of 
Federal  soldiers  had  been  guilty  of  plundering,  and  upon 
these  he  assessed  the  value  of  the  stores  that  had  been  taken, 
deducted  the  amount  from  their  pay,  and  caused  the  money 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  123 

to  be  "turned  over  to  the  people  who  had  been  robbed.  Two 
officers  who  head  permitted  their  men  to  rob  a  store  at  Jackson, 
Tennessee,  Grant  summarily  dismissed  from  service,  and  so 
severely  punished  others,  that  plundering  soon  ceased  almost 
entirely  in  his  army.  The  cotton  trade  seriously  disturbed 
the  operations  of  the  army,  and  Grant  for  a  long  time  refused 
to  grant  any  permits  for  it  to  be  carried  on. 

An  anecdote  is  told  of  General  Grant,  relative  to  his 
refusal  to  engage  in  or  authorize  any  movements  for  the 
re-opening  of  trade  with  the  rebellious  States.  On  one 
occasion,  especially,  after  his  protests  and  orders  suppressing 
such  traffic,  he  was  eagerly  entreated  by  the  agents  of  the 
Treasury  Department  to  authorize  some  system  of  trade. 
He  refused,  for  the  reason  that  he  could  not  successfully 
conduct  his  military  operations  while  such  persons  were 
moving  around  him ;  but  at  last  he  conceded  that  a  certain 
amount  of  trade  in  the  recaptured  districts  of  the  South 
would  be  safe,  proper,  and  even  highly  useful  to  the  Union, 
provided  it  could  be  conducted  through  honest,  umimpeach- 
able  Union  hands.  lie  was  asked  to  name  the  persons 
whom  he  would  be  willing  to  trust. 

"I  will  do  no  such  thing,"  was  Grant's  reply;  "for  if  I 
did,  it  would  appear  in  less  than  a  week  that  I  was  a  partner 
of  every  one  of  the  persons  trading  under  my  authority." 

Some  German  Jews  had,  in  their  anxiety  to  trade,  so 
often  violated  General  Grant's  orders,  that  at  length  his 
patience,  completely  exhausted,  he  excluded  them  from 
his  department.  This  he  did  from  no  prejudice  against 
their  class,  but  because  some  of  the  Jews,  then  trading 
-within  his  lines,  were  known  to  be  aiding  the  enemy.  He 
could  not  get  hold  of  the  guilty  parties,  and,  although  he 
feared  some  innocent  persons  might  suffer  with  the  guilty, 
such  was  the  situation  of  affairs  in  his  command  that  any 
aid  or  comfort,  or,  still  worse,  information  given  to  the  enemy 


124  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

would  ruin  him,  and  he  was,  therefore,  compelled  to  issue 
the  order  against  the  Jews  as  a  measure  of  safety  to  his 
military  operations. 

Halleck,  before  leaving  for  Washington,  had  set  the  ex 
ample  by  reducing  his  baggage  to  a  tooth-brush,  and  Grant, 
now  finding  'his  army  was  so  loaded  down  with  wagons, 
filled  with  the  effects  of  officers  and  privates,  that  it  would 
be  impossible  for  him  to  move  rapidly,  he  determined  to 
remedy  the  evil  at  once.  Taking  away  the  large  wall-tents, 
.  he  caused  small  shelter  tents  'to  be  issued  in  their  stead, 
and  the  officer's  and  men  soon  finding  they  had  nothing  to 
carry,  of  course  needed  no  wagons,  and  so  the  teams  were 
turned  over  to  the  quartermaster's  department.  Grant's 
personal  baggage  at  this  time  is  said  to  have  consisted  of  a 
towel,  two  pieces  of  soap,  a  fine-tooth  comb,  and  forty-one 
boxes  of  cigars. 

His  staff  had  been  selected  with  great  sagacity,  and  con 
sisted  of — 

Brigadier-General  J.  D.  Webster,  superintendent  military 
railroads. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  John  A.  Rawlins,  assistant  adjutant- 
general  and  chief  of  staff. 

Colonel  T.  Lyle  Dickey,  chief  of  cavalry. 

Colonel  William  S.  Hilly cr,  aid-de-camp  and  provost 
marshal-general. 

Colonel  Clark  B.  Lagow,  aid-de-carnp  and  acting  inspector- 
general. 

Colonel  George  P.  Ihrie,  aid-de-camp  and  acting  inspector- 
V  general. 

Colonel  John  Riggin,  Jr.,  aid-de-camp  and  superintendent 
of  military  telegraphs. 

Colonel  George  G.  Pride,  chief  engineer  of  military  rail 
roads. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  W.  L.  Duff,  chief  of  artillery. 


LIFE    OF    (JllANT.  125 

Lieutenant-Colonel  J.  P.  Hawkins,  chief  of  subsistence 
department. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  C.  A.  Reynold,  chief  of  quartermas 
ter's  department. 

Surgeon  Horace  R.  Wirtz,  chief  of  medical  department. 

Major  William  ft.  Rowley,  aid-de-camp  and  mustering  of 
ficer. 

Captain  T.  S.  Bowers,  aid-de-camp. 

Captain  F.  E.  Prime,  chief  of  engineers. 

Lieutenant  James  II.  Wilson,  chief  of  topographical  en 
gineers. 

Lieutenant  S.  C.  Lyford,  chief  of  ordinance  department. 

On  the  28th  of  November,  Grant,  although  he  had  not 
received  all  the  reinforcements  he  expected,  determined  to 
begin  his  campaingn  against  Vioksburg,  and  the  next  day 
sent  his  cavalry  across  the  Tallahatchie.  Sherman  was  or 
dered  to  cross  at  Wyatt,  and  Grant  moved  his  head-quarters 
to  Holly  Springs,  telegraphing  to  Washington,  "to-morrow 
we  will  he  in  Abbeville,  or  a  battle  will  be  fought." 

Generals  Hovey  and  Washburn  had  been  directed  to  move 
with  their  troops  from  Helena,  Arkansas,  across  the  Missis 
sippi,  and  cut  the  railroads  in  Pemberton's  rear,  which  they 
did,  thus  hastening  the  evacuation  of  the  rebel  works  on  the 
Tallahatchie.  December  1st  the  rebels  were  falling  back, 
and  Grant  pursuing  to  Oxford.  As  the  troops  pushed  for 
ward,  Grant  found  abundant  evidence  to  justify  his  stringent 
order,  on  the  14th  of  November,  against  the  Jews.  Near 
Waterford  one  house  in  St.  Louis  had  a  branch  clothing  es 
tablishment  for  the  supply  of  the  rebels. 

On  the  3d  Grant's  head-quarters  were  at  Oxford,  and,  so 
far,  his  expedition  had  been  a  perfect  success;  but  now  came 
the  alarming  intelligence  that  the  enemy  were  in  his  rear 
on  his  communications,  and  that  Colonel  Murphy  had  sur 
rendered  Holly  Springs  to  Van  Dora.  Sufficient  garrisons 


126  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

had  been  left  at  Columbus,  Ilumboldt,  Trenton,  Jackson, 
Bolivar,  Corinth,  Holly  Springs,  Cold  Water,  Davis'  Mills, 
Middleburg,  and  every  precaution  had  been  taken  to  secure 
his  advance,  still  Grant  felt  that  his  communications  might 
be  cut,  and  was,  therefore,  not  greatly  suprised  to  hear  of 
the  enemy  being  in  his  rear.  He  was  amazed,  however, 
that  Holly  Springs  should  have  been  taken  so  easily;  and 
finding  he  could  not  advance  without  supplies,  he  hastily 
gathered  up  his  army  and  began  to  retrace  his  steps.  Oa 
arriving  at  Holly  Springs,  and  learning  that  Colonel  Murphy 
had  surrendered  the  post  and  all  its  stores  without  striking 
a  blow,  Grant  issued  an  order  dismissing  him  disgracefully 
from  the  service.  The  posts  of  Cold  Water,  Davis'  Mills, 
and  Middleburg  had  been  attacked  by  the  rebels,  but  were 
bravely  defended  and  the  enemy  repulsed,  and  to  the  offi 
cers  and  men  comprising  the  garrisons  of  these  places, 
Grant  issued  a  complimentary  order. 

The  army  now  consisted  of  four  corps,  organized  as  fol 
lows :  1.  The  troops  composing  the  Ninth  Division,  Brig 
adier-General  G.  W.  Morgan  commanding;  the  Tenth  Di 
vision,  Brigadier-General  A.  J.  Smith  commanding;  and  all 
other  troops  operating  on  the  Mississippi  River  below  Mem 
phis,  not  included  in  the  Fifteenth  Army  Corps,  constituted 
the  Thirteenth  Army  Corps,  under  the  command  of  Major- 
General  John  A.  McClernand. 

2.  The  Fifth  Division,  Brigadier-General  Morgan  L.  Smith 
commanding;    the  Division  from    Helena,   Arkansas,   com 
manded  by  Brigadier-General  F.  Steele,  and  the  forces  in 
the  District  of  Memphis,  constituted   the   Fifteenth  Army 
Corps,  and  was  commanded  by  Major-General  William  T. 
Sherman. 

3.  The  Sixth   Division,   Brigadier-General  J.  McArthur 
commanding ;  the  Seventh  Division,  Brigadier-General  I.  F. 
Quinby  commanding;  the  Eighth  Division,  Brigadier-General 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  127 

L.  F.  Ross  commanding;  the  Second  Brigade  of  Cavalry, 
Colonel  A.  L.  Lee  commanding,  and  the  troops  in  the 
District  of  Columbus,  commanded  hy  Brigadier- General 
Davis,  and  those  in  the  District  of  Jackson,  commanded 
by  Brigadier-General  Sullivan,  constituted  the  Sixteenth 
Army  Corps,  and  was  commanded  by  Major-General  S.  A. 
Ilurlbut. 

4.  The  First  Division,  Brigadier-General  J.  W.  Denver 
commanding ;  the  Third  Division,  Brigadier-General  John 
A.  Logan  commanding;  the  Fourth  Division,  Brigadier- 
General  J.  G.  Lauman  commanding ;  the  First  Brigade  of 
Cavalry,  Colonel  B.  H.  Grierson  commanding,  and  the  forces 
in  the  District  of  Corinth,  commanded  by  Brigadier-General 
G.  M.  Dodge,  constituted  the  Seventeenth  Army  Corps,  and 
was  commanded  by  Major-General  J.  B.  McPherson. 

Grant  had  determined  to  send  General  Sherman  down  the 
Mississippi  with  an  expedition  against  Vicksburg,  and  for 
this  purpose  had  ordered  him  to  Memphis,  General  Morgan 
L.  Smith's  division  being  ordered  to  at  once  report  to  him 
to  form  part  of  the  expedition.  The  navy,  under  Admiral 
Porter,  was  to  cooperate  with  him,  and  on  the  23d  of  De 
cember,  Sherman  embarked  with  four  divisions,  and  imme 
diately  set  sail  down  the  river.  On  the  24th  he  arrived  near 
Helena,  with  thirty  thousand  men,  and  that  evening  received 
a  reenforcement  from  Helena  of  twelve  thousand.  Next 
morning  he  landed  at  Milliken's  Bend,  and  spent  three  days 
in  attempting  to  cut  the  Vicksburg  and  Shreveport  Railroad, 
by  which  he  was  informed  the  rebels  were  sending  reinforce 
ments  to  Vicksburg.  On  the  26th,  under  convoy  of  Admiral 
Porter's  gunboats,  he  advanced  up  the  Yazoo  River,  which 
empties  into  the  Mississippi  nine  miles  from  Vicksburg,  and 
on  the  27th  landed  near  the  mouth  of  Chickasaw  Bayou. 
The  expedition  of  General  'Sherman  had  been  intended  to 
cooperate  with  General  Grant's  movements  by  land  on 


128  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

Yicksburg.  Sherman's  forces  were  denominated  the  right 
wing,  and  Grant's  the  left  wing.  On  reaching  Chickasaw 
Bayou,  Sherman  expected  to  hear  of  Grant's  advance,  but 
could  get  no  intelligence  of  his  whereabouts.  It  was  not 
until  until  several  days  afterward  that  Sherman  heard  of  the 
surrender  of  Holly  Springs,  and  Grant's  retreat. 

On  the  morning  of  the  28th,  not  being  able  to  learn 
any  thing  of  Grant,  Sherman  determined  to  move  forward 
without  waiting  for  him.  A.  J,  Smith's  division  had  the 
right,  Morgan  L.  Smith's  the  right  center,  Morgan's  the 
left  center,  and  Steele's  the  left.  The  advance  lay  across 
bluffs  covered  with  tangled  undergrowth,  and  through  swamps 
intersected  by  deep  streams.  The  narrow  causeways,  along 
which  the  infantry  had  to  advance,  were  under  range  of  the 
rebel  guns  on  the  bluifs,  and  the  hills  were  lined  with  rifle- 
pits,  filled  with  sharp-shooters.  Through  these  difficulties 
Sherman  pushed  his  way,  and  on  the  29th  attacked  the  rebel 
lines.  On  the  evening  of  that  day  he  was  at  the  foot  of  the 
bluffs  and  had  effected  a  lodgment,  but  being  unable,  on 
account  of  the  nature  of  the  ground,  to  put  but  a  part  of 
his  force  into  the  action  he  was  driven  back  with  severe  loss. 
He  now  determined  to  go  higher  up  the  Yazoo  and  attempt 
a  landing  under  cover  of  the  gunboats,  but  a  rain  setting 
in,  and  afterward  a  dense  fog,  so  that  the  vessels  could  not 
move,  nor  the  men  see  each  other  at  ten  paces  distant,  he 
gave  up  the  movement  and  returned  to  the  Mississippi, 
where  he  met  his  superior  officer,  General  McClernand,  to 
whom  he  turned  over  his  command.  Sherman  lost  in  the 
expedition  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  killed,  nine  hundred 
and  thirty-seven  wounded,  and  seven  hundred  and  forty- 
three  missing.  His  failure  was  entirely  owing  to  the  sur 
render  of  Holly  Springs,  and  consequent  non-cooperation 
of  the  left  wing.  No  fault  was  found  with  him  by  General 
Grant  or  the  department. 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  129 

The  following  graphic  description  of  the  first  attack  on 
Vicksburg  is  given  by  an  eye-witness : 

"General  Morgan,  at  eleven  o'clock  A.  M.,  sent  word  to 
General  Steele  that  he  was  about  ready  for  the  movement 
upon  the  hill,  and  wished  the  latter  to  support  him  with  Gen 
eral  Thayer's  brigade.  General  Steele  accordingly  ordered 
General  Thayer  to  move  his  brigade  forward,  and  be  ready 
for  the  assault.  The  order  was  promptly  complied  with,  and 
General  Blair  received  from  General  Morgan  the  order  to 
assault  the  hill.  The  artillery  had  been  silent  for  some 
time,  but  Hoffman's  battery  opened  when  the  movement 
commenced.  This  was  promptly  replied  to  by  the  enemy, 
and  taken  up  by  Griffith's  First  Iowa  Battery,  and  a  vigor 
ous  shelling  was  the  result.  By  the  time  General  Blair's 
brigade  emerged  from  its  cover  of  cypress  forest,  the  shell 
were  dropping  fast  among  the  men.  A  field  battery  had 
been  in  position  in  front  of  Hoffman's  battery;  but  it  lim 
bered  up  and  moved  away  beyond  the  heavy  batteries  and 
the  rifle-pits. 

"  In  front  of  the  timber  where  Blair's  brigade  had  been 
lying  was  an  abatis  of  young  trees,  cut  off  about  three  feet 
above  the  ground,  and  with  the  tops  fallen  promiscuously 
around.  It  took  some  minutes  to  pass  this  abatis,  and  by 
the  time  this  was  accomplished  the  enemy's  fire  had  not  been 
without  effect.  Beyond  this  abatis  was  a  ditch  fifteen  or 
twenty  feet  deep,  and  with  two  or  three  feet  water  in  the 
bottom.  The  bottom  of  the  ditch  was  a  quicksand,  in  which 
the  feet  of  the  men  commenced  sinking,  the  instant  they 
touched  it.  By  the  time  this  ditch  was  passed  the  line  was 
thrown  into  considerable  confusion,  and  it  took  several  min 
utes  to  put  it  in  order.  All  the  horses  of  the  officers  were 
mired  in  this  ditch.  Every  one  dismounted  and  moved  up 
the  hill  on  foot. 

"  Beyond  this  ditch  was  an  abatis  of  heavy  timber  that 
9 


130  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

had  been  felled  several  months  before,  and,  from  being  com 
pletely  seasoned,  was  more  difficult  of  passage  than  that  con 
structed  of  greener  and  more  flexible  trees  encountered  at 
first.  These  obstacles  were  overcome  under  a  tremendous 
fire  from  the  enemy's  batteries  and  the  men  in  the  rifle-pits. 
The  line  was  recovered  from  the. disorder  into  which  it  had 
been  thrown  by  the  passage  of  the  abatis;  and,  with  General 
Blair  at  their  head,  the  regiments  moved  forward  'upon  the 
enemy's  works.'  The  first  movement  was  over  a  sloping 
plateau,  raked  by  direct  and  enfilading  fires  from  heavy 
artillery,  and  swept  by  a  perfect  storm  of  bullets  from  the 
rifle-pits.  Nothing  daunted  by  the  dozens  of  men  that  had 
already  fallen,  the  brigade  pressed  on,  and  in  a  few  moments 
had  driven  the  enemy  from  the  first  range  of  rifle-pits  at  the 
base  of  the  hill,  and  were  in  full  possession. 

"  Halting  but  a  moment  to  take  breath,  the  brigade  re 
newed  the  charge,  and  speedily  occupied  the  second  line  of 
rifle-pits,  about  two  hundred  yards  distant  from  the  first. 
General  Blair  was  the  first  man  of  his  brigade  to  enter.  All 
this  time  the  murderous  fire  from  the  enemy's  guns  continued. 
The  batteries  were  still  above  this  line  of  rifle-pits.  The 
regiments  were  not  strong  enough  to  attempt  their  capture 
without  a  prompt  arid  powerful  support.  For  them  it  had 
truly  been  a  march 

" '  Into  the  jaws  of  death— 
Into  the  mouth  of  hell.' 

"Almost  simultaneously  with  the  movement  of  General 
Blair  on  the  left,  General  Thayer  received  his  command  to  go 
forward.  He  had  previously  given  orders  to  all  his  regi 
ments  in  column  to  follow  each  other  whenever  the  first 
moved  forward.  lie  accordingly  placed  himself  at  the 
head  of  his  advance  regiment,  the  Fourth  Iowa,  and  his 
order — 'Forward,  Second  Brigade  1' — rang  out  clear  above 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  131 

the  tumult.  Colonel  Williamson,  commanding  the  Fourth 
Iowa,  moved  it  off  in  splendid  style.  General  Thayer  sup 
posed  that  all  the  other  regiments  of  his  brigade  were  fol 
lowing,  in  accordance  with  his  instructions  previously  issued. 
He  wound  through  the  timber  skirting  the  bayou,  crossed 
at  the  same  bridge  where  General  Blair  had  passed  but  a 
few  minutes  before,  made  his  way  through  the  ditch  and 
both  lines  of  abatis,  deflected  the  right  and  ascended  the 
sloping  plateau  in  the  direction  of  the  rifle-pits  simulta 
neously  with  General  Blair,  and  about  two  hundred  yards 
to  his  right. 

"When  General  Thayer  reached  the  rifle-pits,  after  hard 
fighting  and  a  heavy  loss,  he  found,  to  his  horror,  that  only 
the  Fourth  Iowa  had  followed  him,  the  wooded  nature  of 
the  place  having  prevented  his  ascertaining  it  before.  Sadly 
disheartened,  with  little  hope  of  success,  he  still  pressed  for 
ward  and  fought  his  way  to  the  second  line,  at  the  same 
time  that  General  Blair  reached  it  on  the  left.  Colonel 
Williamson's  regiment  was  fast  falling  before  the  concentra 
ted  fire  of  the  rebels,  and  with  an  anxious  heart  General 
Thayer  looked  around  for  aid. 

"The  rebels  were  forming  three  full  regiments  of  infantry 
to  move  down  upon  General  Thayer,  and  were  massing  a 
proportionately  formidable  force  against  General  Blair. 
The  rebel  infantry  and  artillery  were  constantly  in  full 
play,  and  two  heavy  guns  were  raking  the  rifle-pits  in 
several  places.  With  no  hope  of  succor,  General  Thayer 
gave  the  order  for  a  return  down  the  hill  and  back  to  his 
original  position.  The  Fourth  Iowa,  entering  the  fight  five 
hundred  strong,  had  lost  a  hundred  and  twenty  men  in  less 
than  thirty  minutes.  It  fell  back  at  a  quick  march,  but  with 
its  ranks  unbroken  and  without  any  thing  of  panic. 

"It  appears  that  just  at  the  time  General  Thayer's  bri 
gade  started  up  the  hill,  General  Morgan  sent  for  a  portion 


1-32  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

of  it  to  support  him  on  the  right.  General  Steele  at  once 
diverted  the  Second  Regiment  of  Thayer's  Brigade,  which 
was  passing  at  the  time.  The  Second  Regiment  being  thus 
diverted,  the  others  followed,  in  accordance  with  the  orders 
they  had  previously  received  from  their  commander.  Notice 
of  the  movement  was  sent  to  General  Thayer;  but,  in  conse 
quence  of  the  death  of  the  courier,  the  notification  never 
reached  him.  This  accounts  for  his  being  left  with  nothin^ 

o  o 

save  the  Fourth  Iowa  Regiment.  The  occurrence  was  a  sad 
one.  The  troops  thus  turned  off  were  among  the  best  that 
had  yet  been  in  action,  and  had  they  been  permitted  to 
charge  the  enemy  they  would  have  won  for  themselves  a 
brilliant  record. 

"When  General  Blair  entered  the  second  line  of  rifle-pits, 
his  brigade  continued  to  pursue  the  enemy  up  the  hill.  The 
Thirteenth  Illinois  Infantry  was  in  advance,  and  fought 
with  desperation  to  win  its  way  to  the  top  of  the  crest. 
Fifty  yards  or  more  above  the  second  line  of  rifle-pits  is  a 
small  clump  of  willows,  hardly  deserving  the  name  of  trees. 
They  stand  in  a  corn-field,  and  from  the  banks  of  the  bayou 
below  presented  the  appearance  of  a  green  hillock.  To  this 
copse  many  of  the  rebels  fled  when  they  were  driven  from 
the  rifle-pits,  and  they  were  promptly  pursued  by  General 
Blair's  men.  The  Thirteenth  met  and  engaged  the  rebels 
hand  to  hand,  and  in  the  encounter  bayonets  were  repeat 
edly  crossed.  It  gained  the  place,  driving  out  the  enemy  ; 
but  as  soon  as  our  men  occupied  it  the  fire  of  a  field-battery 
was  turned  upon  them  and  the  place  became  too.  hot  to  be  held. 

"  The  road  from  Mrs.  Lake's  plantation  to  the  top  of  the 
high  ground  and  thence  to  Yicksburg,  runs  at  an  angle  along 
the  side  of  the  hill,  so  as  to  obtain  a  slope  easy  of  ascent. 
The  lower  side  of  this  road  was  provided  with  a  breastwork, 
so  that  a  light  battery  could  be  taken  anywhere  along  the 
road  and  fired  over  the  embankment.  From  the  nearest 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  133 

point  of  tliis  embankment  a  battery  opened  on  the  Thir 
teenth  Illinois,  and  was.  aided  by  a  heavy  battery  on  the  hill. 
Several  men  were  killed  by  the  shell  and  grape  that  swept 
the  copse. 

"The  other  regiments  of  the  brigade  came  to  the  support 
of  the  Thirteenth — the  Twenty-ninth  Missouri,  Colonel  Cav- 
ender,  being  in  the  advance.  Meantime  the  rebels  formed  a 
large  force  of  infantry  to  bring  against  them,  and  when  the 
Twenty-ninth  reached  the  copse,  the  rebels  were  already 
engaging  the  Union  troops.  The  color-bearer  of  the  Twelfth 
had  been  shot  down,  and  some  one  picked  up  the  standard 
and  planted  it  in  front  of  the  copse.  The  force  of  the 
rebels  was  too  great  for  our  men  to  stand  against  them,  and 
they  slowly  fell  back,  fighting  step  by  step  toward  the 
rifle-pits,  and  taking  their  colors  with  them. 

"  In  this  charge  upon  the  hill  the  regiments  lost  severely. 
In  General  Blair's  brigade  there  were  eighteen  hundred  and 
twenty-five  men  engaged  in  this  assault,  and  of  this  number 
six  hundred  and  forty-two  were  killed,  wounded,  and  cap 
tured." 

Sherman,  who  now  took  command  under  McClernand,  at 
once  proposed  to  go  up  Arkansas  River  and  capture  Arkan 
sas  Post,  a  strong  work  about  fifty  miles  from  the  mouth 
of  the  river.  As  no  orders  had  been  or  could  be  received 
from  Grant  for  some  time,  McClernand  agreed,  and  they 
advanced,  accompanied  by  several  gunboats.  On  the  llth 
of  January,  the  land  and  naval  forces  made  a  combined  at 
tack  on  the  enemy's  works  and  captured  them,  with  a  loss  of 
about  one  thousand  men,  killed,  wounded,  and  missing.  The 
fight  lasted  three  hours,  and  the  Union  troops  captured  five 
thousand  prisoners  and  seventeen  pieces  of  cannon.  As  Sher 
man  expected,  this  little  victory  greatly  raised  the  spirits  of 
our  troops,  and  reconciled  the  country  to  the  misfortunes  of 
the  army  at  Vicksburg. 


134  LIFE    OF    Gil  ANT. 

The  reporting  of  General  McClernand  to  Grant  necessi 
tated  a  reorganization  of  the  army,  and,  accordingly,  on  the 
22d  of  December,  an  order  was  issued  from  army  head 
quarters  re- composing  the  corps,  and  assigning  General 
McClernand  to  command  the  Thirteenth  Army  Corps,  Gen 
eral  Sherman  to  the  Fifteenth  Army  Corps,  General  Hurl- 
but  to  the 'Sixteenth  Corps,  and  General  McPherson  to  the 
Seventeenth  Corps. 

Colonel  Badeau,  in  his  excellent  life  of  Grant,  has,  for 
some  reason  or  other,  done  great  injustice  to  General  Mc 
Clernand  ;  and,  although  it  is  riot  the  intention  of  the  author 
of  this  work  to  find  fault  with  others,  he  could  not  omit  to 
mention  the  fact  that  writers,  whose  province  it  is  to  discuss 
such  matters,  may  set  the  gallant  McClernand  right  before 
the  country. 

On  the  17th  of  January,  General  Grant  came  down  to 
Napoleon,  where  the  transport  fleet  was  then  laying,  with 
the  troops  on  board,  and  on  the  20th  he  announced  his  in 
tention  to  again  attack  Vicksburg  and  reduce  it,  although 
he  believed,  as  he  wrote  Halleck,  "it  will  take  time  and 
men." 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  135 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

THE  PRESIDENT'S  EMANCIPATION  PROCLAMATION — GRANT  ENFORCES  THE 

POLICY  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT— YOUNG'S  POINT THE  WILLIAMS  CANAL 

ROUNDABOUT    BAYOU   EXPEDITION MOON    LAKE YAZOO    PASS    EXPEDI 
TION ADMIRAL  FARRAGUT — ADMIRAL  PORTER M'CLERNAND's  MARCH — • 

RUNNING  THE  BATTERIES GRIERSON  AND  HATCH' S  RAID — BATTLE  OF 

PORT  GIBSON — GRANT'S  FIGHTING  APPEARANCE — EVACUATION  OF  GRAND 
GULF — PERPLEXING  SITUATION  OF  GRANT— HIS  PLANS  DISAPPROVED  BY 

THE    PRESIDENT   AND   HALLECK PEMBERTON   AND   JOHNSTON   MARCH 

AGAINST  HIM BATTLE  OF  RAYMOND ADVANCE  ON  JACKSON — PRELIMI 
NARY  MOVEMENTS — GRANT  LEADS  THE  ADVANCE  IN  PERSON  AND  ON  FOOT. 

THE  President's  emancipation  proclamation,  issued  on  the 
22d-of  September,  1862,  had  caused  great  excitement  in  the 
country  and  army.  Many  gallant  men  declared  if  they  had 
known  they  were  to  fight  for  the  freedom  of  the  negro,  they 
would  not  have  enlisted  in  the  war.  A  large  number  of 
officers  tendered  their  resignations,  and  so  great  was  the 
dissatisfaction  prevailing,  that  the  department  and  army 
commanders  felt  compelled  to  put  a  stop  to  the  matter.  It 
having  come  to  the  ears  of  Grant  that  the  surrender  of 
Holly  Springs,  without  striking  a  blow,  was  in  consequence 
of  the  proclamation,  he  at  once  assembled  a  court  of  inquiry, 
and  eight  officers  being  found  guilty,  he  dismissed  them  in 
disgrace  from  the  army.  Fully  determined  that  the  policy 
of  the  Government  and  the  freedom  of  the  slaves  should 
be  carried  out,  Grant  issued  a  general  order  declaring  that 
corps,  division,  and  post  commanders  would  afford  all  fa 
cilities  for  the  completion  of  the  negro  regiments  organizing 


136  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

in  the  department.  Commissaries  would  issue  supplies,  and 
quartermasters  furnish  stores  on  the  same  requisitions  and 
returns  as  were  required  from  other  troops.  He  said: 

"  It*is  expected  that  all  commanders  will  especially  exert 
themselves  in  carrying  out  the  policy  of  the  administration, 
not  only  in  organizing  colored  regiments,  and  rendering 
them  efficient,  but  also  in  removing  prejudice  against 
them." 

Grant's  plan  now  was  to  find  a  base  on  the  river,  cross 
the  country,  and  attack  Vicksburg  from  the  land  side.  With 
this  view  he  ordered  his  army  to  rendezvous  at  Young's 
Point,  and  on  the  29th  of  January  proceeded  to  that  place 
in  person  and  assumed  command.  The  navy,  under  Porter, 
was  already  at  the  Point;  and  the  whole  army,  except  Lo 
gan's  division  and  some  small  garrisons,  was  expected  in 
a  few  days. 

At  Vicksburg  the  Mississippi  makes  a  great  bend,  or  horse 
shoe,  the  distance  across  the  neck  being  only  about  one 
mile.  Proceeding  to  the  neck  of  the  bend,  six  miles  below 
the  city,  Grant  determined  to  cut  a  canal  for  his  boats,  and 
thus  get  below  the  city.  The  work  on  the  Williams  canal 
was  immediately  begun  and  vigorously  continued  until  the 
8th  of  March,  when  the  dam,  at  the  mouth,  gave  way,  and 
the  waters  of  the  Mississippi  rushed  through,  overflowing 
the  land,  and  compelling  the  soldiers  to  seize  their  tents 
and  implements  and  flee  to  the  levees  to  keep  from  being 
drowned.  The  rebels  laughed  long  and  loud  at  Grant's 
failure,  but  he  smiled  good-naturedly,  and  at  once  showed 
them  he  had  another  plan  for  approaching  their  stronghold. 
Proceeding  with  his  engineers  and  some  dredge-boats  to 
Milliken's  Bend,  he  began  cleaning  out  Roundabout  Bayou 
with  a  view  of  getting  into  Tensas  River,  but  just  as  he 
had  got  the  channel  sufficiently  dredged  to  allow  the  pas 
sage  of  some  light  steamers,  the  water  in  the  river  sud- 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  137 

denly  fell  and  put  an  end  to  the  scheme.  Again  the  rebels 
laughed  at  the  Yankee  general,  but  nothing  discouraged, 
he  began  cutting  a  new  canal  from  the  Mississippi  into  Lake 
Providence.  By  this  route  he  hoped  to  get  into  Baxter  and 
Macon  Bayous,  and  from  them  into  Tensas,  Washita,  and 
White  Rivers,  down  which  he  could  sail  to  the  Mississippi, 
communicate  with  Banks  at  Port  Hudson,  and  thus  flank 
Vicksburg  and  open  communications  with  the  Gulf.  The 
route,  however,  was  too  long,  and  the  project  was  soon 
abandoned. 

The  next  effort  was  to  get  through  Yazoo  Pass,  eight 
miles  from  Helena,  into  Moon  Lake,  and  thence  into  Cold 
Water  and  Tallahatchie  Rivers.  One  who  was  engaged  in 
the  expedition  thus  speaks  of  Yazoo  Pass : 

"I  would  like  to  describe  the  Yazoo  Pass.  I  would  like 
to  compare  it  to  something  that  would  be  intelligible.  But 
I  know  of  nothing  in  heaven  or  on  earth,  or  in  the  waters 
under  the  earth,  that  will  compare  with  it.  Had  the  im 
mortal  bard  desired  a  subject  from  which  to  draw  a  picture 
of  the  way  that  leads  to  the  realms  of  darkness  and  despair, 
he  had  only  to  oicture  the  Yazoo  Pass.  Let  me  try,  in  the 
feeble  language  I  can  command,  to  describe  it.  Perhaps 
the  reader  has  passed  through  the  Dismal  Swamp  of  Vir 
ginia  ;  or,  if  not,  he  has  read  accounts  of  travelers  who  have 
enjoyed  that  privilege.  Then  he  has  heard  of  the  famous 
jungles  of  India.  He  has  seen  or  read  of  the  unbroken 
silence  of  the  boundless  tall  forests  of  the  John  Brown  tract 
in  Western  New  York.  Conceive  the  ugliest  feature-s  of 
these  three  varieties  of  territory,  and  he  will  be  able,  by 
combining  them,  to  form  a  tolerably  correct  idea  of  the  re 
gion  through  which  the  Yazoo  Pass  runs.  Those  who  have 
watched  the  course  of  a  snake  as  he  trails  his  way  along 
the  ground,  winding  this  way  and  that,  hither  and  yonder, 
going  in  all  directions  at  the  same  time,  and  yet  maintain- 


18  LIFE   OF   URANT. 

ing  something  of  a  regular  course  in  the  average,  will,  by 
exaggerating  the  picture  in  their  own  minds,  understand 
something  of  the  tortuous  course  of  the  Yazoo  Pass.  I  have 
passed  through  it  from  one  end  to  the  other,  and  I  assert 
candidly  that  there  is  not  throughout  its  entire  length  a 
piece  two  hundred  feet  long  of  perfectly  straight  river." 

Up  this  narrow  and  tortuous  channel  the  gunboats  were 
pushed,  and  the  work  continued  until  the  21st  of  March, 
when  the  expedition  was  given  up,  and  the  land  and  naval 
forces  returned  to  Milliken's  Bend. 

Admiral  Porter,  of  whom  it  was  said  he  could  run  his 
gunboats  wherever  the  ground  was  damp,  had  displayed  the 
greatest  energy  in  the  operations  along  the  Mississippi. 
On  the  15th  of  March  he  had  sailed  up  Steele's  Bayou,  and 
soon  became  so  heavily  engaged  with  the  enemy,  that  he 
was  obliged  to  send  to  General  Grant  for  help.  Grant 
promptly  sent  him  General  Sherman,  with  his  Fifteenth 
Army  Corps,  and,  after  some  hard  fighting,  the  boats  were 
got  out  of  the  bayous  and  into  the  Mississippi  again.  Of 
the  timely  arrival  of  Sherman  and  his  troops,  the  following 
extract  from  an  officer's  letter  will  tell : 

"While  the  adventure  was  of  uncertain  success — when 
the  result  seemed  almost  accomplished,  and  when  our  gun 
boats  were  surrounded  with  an  enemy  confident  of  victory, 
and  their  extrication  seemed  almost  an  impossibility—  officers 
and  men  worked  with  equal  alacrity,  whether  in  building 
bridges  or  making  forced  marches,  both  by  day  and  in  the 
night.  The  whole  time  wras  used  in  labor — constant  and 
severe.  It  seems  almost  a  miracle  that  the  boats  were 
saved.  If  Generals  Sherman  and  Stuart,  by  their  utmost 
exertions  and  labor,  had  forwarded  their  troops  a  single  half 
day  later,  if  the  second  forced  march  under  General  Sherman 
had  been  retarded  a  single  hour,  in  all  human  probability 
the  whole  force  wrould  have  been  lost." 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  189 

An  effort  was  nov^  again  made  to  remove  Grant,  but  the 
President  said:  "I  like  the  man,  and  will  try  him  a  little 
longer."  The  country,  however,  was  clamoring  at  his  delay, 
and  Grant  saw  the  necessity  of  promptly  doing  something  to 
save  himself  from  the  disgrace  of  removal. 

Admiral  Farragut  had  run  by  the  batteries  at  Port 
Hudson  with  his  flag-ship,  the  Hartford,  and  her  tender, 
the  Albatross ;  and  on  March  17th  was  lying  off  Natchez, 
'Miss.  On  March  21st  the  Hartford  arrived  off  Vicksburg, 
and  anchoring  below  the  batteries,  communicated  with 
Admiral  Porter  and  General  Grant. 

Porter  was  burning  to  eclipse  his  gallant  rival  by  running 
the  batteries  of  Vicksburg,  and,  on  the  16th  of  April,  was 
ready  to  make  the  attempt.  v 

Grant  had  determined  to  move  his  forces  below  Vicksburg, 
on  the  Louisiana  shore,  so  as  to  take  the  rebel  works  in 
rear.  On  the  29th  of  March  McClernand,  with  the  Thir 
teenth  Army  Corps,  had  started  for  New  Carthage,  but  on 
arriving  at  Smith's  plantation,  two  miles  from  Carthage,  he 
found  the  levee  broken  and  the  town  an  island.  It  seemed 
as  though  the  Mississippi  was  a  rebel  sympathizer.  Mc 
Clernand  pushed  on,  however,  going  around  Bayou  Yidal 
and  traversing  the  most  horrible  roads.  At  times  it  was 
found  necessary  to  drag  his  wagons  and  cannon  by  hand, 
the  men  working  in  mud  up  to  their  knees.  At  length  the 
Union  troops  reached  the  Mississippi,  and  established  their 
camp  on  a  rebel  plantation  just  outside  of  New  Carthage. 
McClernand  now  anxiously  awaited  the  operations  of  the 
fleets  up  the  river,  arid  was  soon  gratified  to  learn  of  their 
success. 

On  the  night  of  the  16th  of  April,  Porter,  with  eight 
gunboats  and  the  transports  Forest  Queen,  Henry  Clay,  and 
Silver  Wave,  all  well  protected  by  cotton  bales,  steamed 
down  the  river.  There  was  no  moon,  and  the  great  city  and 


140  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

bluffs  lay  shrouded  in  darkness.  Porter  led  the  way  in  the 
Benton,  and  was  already  close  upon  the  hill-sides  he  knew  to 
be  bristling  with  rebel  cannon.  Slowly  and  noiselessly  the 
great  boats  glided  down  the  broad  stream,  the  transports 
hugging  the  Louisiana  shore.  Suddenly  the  rebel  sentries 
challenged,  and  receiving  no  reply,  the  batteries  belched 
forth  their  contents,  and  the  hills  for  miles  lighted  up  with 
flames.  The  slumbering  citizens  of  Vicksburg  sprang  from 
their  beds  in  fright,  and  rushed  wildly  into  the  streets  as  the 
great  iron  shells  of  the  gunboats  went  howling  like  demons 
over  the  city,  or  crashed  through  the  houses  and  exploded 
with  a  noise  like  thunder.  The  rebel  sharpshooters  set 
fire  to  the  buildings  on  the  river  bank  to  get  light  to  see  the 
boats  by,  and  the  shells  soon  setting  fire  to  the  houses 
further  up  in  the  city,  the  flames  lighted  up  the  hills  for 
miles  around.  In  the  streets,  toiling  at  their  cannons,  like 
red  dragons,  could  be  seen  the  rebel  gunners,  and,  on  the 
boats  in  the  river,  the  sailors  working  their  huge  guns, 
looked  like  so  many  black  devils.  It  was  a  scene  such  as 
has  seldom  been  witnessed  in  this  or  any  other  country,  and 
no  one  who  was  at  Vicksburg  on  that  eventful  night  will 
ever  have  his  dreams  entirely  free  from  the  horrible  spec 
tacle. 

In  one  hour  and  a  quarter  the  boats  had  all  passed  the 
batteries,  and  the  firing  ceased.  The  Henry  Clay  was  lost, 
a  shot  from  the  rebel  batteries  having  set  her  cotton  on  fire 
and  demoralized  her  crew,  who  abandoned  her.  As  she 
floated  down  the  stream,  ablaze  with  fire,  she  presented  a 
beautiful  sight  with  the  stars  and  stripes  streaming  in  the 
red  light  above  her.  The  Forest  Queen  was  disabled  by  a 
round  shot,  and  every  transport  was  struck,  some  of  them 
being  drawn  into  the  eddy  and  compelled  to  run  through  the 
horrible  fire  of  the  batteries  no  less  than  three  times. 
Surprising  as  it  may  seem,  only  one  man  was  killed  and 


LIFE    OP    GRANT.  141 

eight  wounded  in  all  of  Porter's  boats  that  night.  Grant 
had  followed  the  fleet  in  a  transport  to  just  above  the  bend, 
where  he  remained  and  watched  the  operations,  his  boat 
being  in  close  range  of  the  rebel  batteries,  and  the  shot  and 
shell  falling  thick  around  him. 

The  first  intelligence  McClernnnd  and  his  troops  had  of 
what  had  taken  place  above,  was  communicated  by  the  old 
rebel  on  whose  plantation  they  were  encamped.  He  rushed 
into  McClernand's  head-quarters,  jubilantly  exclaiming : 
"Where,  now,  are  your  gunboats?  Burned  to  the  water's 
edge,  sir,  and  there  they  go  floating  down  the  stream  charred 
and  blackened  hulks."  When,  however,  the  wrecks  had 
passed,  and  one  after  another  the  black  smokes  of  the  gun- 
goats  appeared  in  the  bend  of  the  river  above,  the  old  man 
became  pallid  with  fear  and  rage  as  the  Yankees  pointed 
them  out  to  him,  and  tauntingly  asked:  "Did  Vicksburg  put 
an  end  to  them  all  ?" 

McPherson,  with  his  corps,  had  closely  followed  McCler- 
nand  to  New  Carthage,  and  the  combined  forces  were  now 
preparing  to  attack  Grand  Gulf  from  Hard  Times.  On  the 
26th  of  April,  six  other  transports  had  run  the  batteries  at 
Vicksburg,  and  Grant  was  now  busily  engaged  in  preparing 
his  troops  for  the  advance  on  Grand  Gulf  and  Port  Gibson. 

Before  leaving  the  north  side  of  Vicksburg,  General  Grant 
had  ordered  Generals  Grierson  and  Hatch,  two  of  his  most 
skillful  cavalry  officers,  to  take  the  First  Cavalry  Brigade, 
go  south  into  the  State  of  Mississippi,  destroy  the  railroads, 
burn  the  bridges  in  the  rear  of  Vicksburg,  and  then  make 
their  way  to  some  point  within  the  Union  lines  down  the 
river.  On  the  17th  of  April,  Grierson  had  started  from 
La  Grange,  going  to  Ilipley,  where  General  Hatch,  with  his 
troops,  left  the  main  expedition,  and  made  a  flank  move 
ment,  crossing  the  Tallahatchie  five  miles  from  New  Albany. 
Grierson  crossed  at  New  Albany,  and  sending  small  bodies 


142  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

of  troops  to  the  right  and  left,  to  deceive  the  enemy  as  to 
his  destination,  pushed  on  with  the  main  body  to  Peritotoc, 
where  he  attacked  and  dispersed  a  body  of  rebels.  On  the 
20th,  Grierson  sent  a  small  force  back  to  La  Grange,  with 
some  prisoners,  directing  them  to  make  as  much  display  as 
possible,  and  create  the  impression  that  the  raid  was  over. 
The  ruse  was  successful.  Another  force  was  detached  un 
der  General  Hatch,  and  sent  to  destroy  the  Mobile  and  Ohio 
railroad  and  attack  Columbus.  General  Hatch  was  entirely 
successful,  drawing  off  Chalmers'  rebel  troops  after  him,  and 
leaving  Grierson  free  to  pursue  his  course  with  the  main 
column  to  Starkville.  The  command  united  again  at  Louis 
ville,  Miss.,  and  marched  to  Philadelphia,  Decatur,  Montrose, 
Raleigh,  Westville,  and  finally  emerged  from  rebcldom  at 
Baton  Rouge  on  the  first  of  May.  This  was  the  greatest 
raid  of  the  war,  the  troops  having  marched  eight  hundred 
miles  through  the  heart  of  the  enemy's  country,  cut  off  all 
communication  with  Vicksburg,  captured  one  thousand  pris 
oners,  and  made  other  captures  as  follows : 

"  Locomotives  destroyed,  2;  cars  destroyed,  nearly  200; 
bridges  burned,  etc.,  9;  telegraph  wires  cut,  2;  railroad 
tracks  destroyed  and  broken,  3;  rebel  camps  destroyed,  3; 
important  rebel  mails  destroyed,  3;  tannery  burned,  1; 
horses  captured,  over  1,200;  value  of  property  destroyed, 
over  $4,000,000.  Besides  cutting  off  all  railroad  communi 
cation  with  the  rebel  strongholds  on  the  Mississippi,  as  well 
as  entirely  destroying  muskets,  tents,  stores,  leather,  boots, 
saddles,  etc.,  of  great  value  to  the  rebels  in  a  military  point 
of  view." 

Grierson  and  Hatch's  loss  was  only  three  killed,  seven 
wounded,  and  fourteen  missing. 

Meanwhile  the  navy  had  attacked  the  rebel  batteries  at 
Grand  Gulf,  and  Grant  had  marched  to  Bruinsburg,  and 
was  now  before  Port  Gibson.  McClernand,  who  led  the 


LIFE   OF   GRANT.  143 

advance,  divided  his  force,  sending  Osterhaus  with  a  division 
to  assault  the  place  on  the  left,  while,  with  Hovcy's,  Carr's, 
and  A.  J.  Smith's  brigades,  he  attacked  on  the  right/  The 
battle  of  Port  Gibson  was  a  hard  one,  General  Grant  being 
on  the  ground,  and  personally  in  command — for  he  well 
knew,  if  he  suffered  another  defeat,  or  even  check,  his  whole 
expedition  against  Vicksburg  would  be  at  an  end.  On  the 
left,  Osterhaus  drove  the  enemy  back  all  day,  but  on  the 
right  the  fight  was  more  stubborn.  Logan's  division  had 
come  up,  and  Grant  sent  a  brigade  to  reenforce  McClernand's 
right,  where  the  fight  was  hottest;  at  the  same  time  order 
ing  Logan  to  take  position  on  the  left,  with  the  other  bri 
gade.  Charging  with  the  bayonet,  and  working  their  way 
through  the  tangled  cane-brake,  Osterhaus'  troops  drove  the 
rebels  from  their  strongest  positions  on  the  left.  The  sight 
of  fresh  troops  on  the  right,  caused  the  enemy  to  fall  back, 
and  by  night  he  was  in  full  retreat.  Darkness  put  an  end 
to  the  conflict  on  the  left,  and  next  morning  the  rebels  were 
gone,  having  crossed  Bayou  Pierre  in  the  night,  and  de 
stroyed  the  bridge  behind  them. 

Grant  determined  to  vigorously  follow  up  the  rebels,  and 
compel  them  to  fight  or  take  refuge  in  their  strong  works  at 
Vicksburg.  Stripping  his  army  of  all  surplus  baggage,  he 
put  it  on  the  roads,  and  pushed  rapidly  forward.  Grant,  at 
this  time,  was  in  admirable  light  marching  order.  In  start 
ing  on  the  movement,  the  General  had  disincumbered  him 
self  of  every  thing,  setting  an  example  to  his  officers  and 
men.  He  took  neither  a  horse  nor  a  servant,  overcoat  nor 
blanket,  nor  tent,  nor  camp-chest,  nor  even  a  clean  shirt. 
His  only  baggage  consisted  of  a  box  of  cigars  and  a  tooth 
brush.  He  always  showed  his  teeth  to  the  rebels.  He 
shared  all  the  hardships  of  the  private  soldier,  sleeping  in 
the  front  and  in  the  open  air,  and  eating  hard-tack  and  salt 
pork.  He  wore  no  sword,  had  on  a  low-crowned,  citizen's 


144  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

hat,  and  the  only  thing  about  him  to  mark  him  as  a  military 
man  was  his  two  stars  on  his  undress  military  coat. 

On  the  3d  of  May,  McPherson  and  Logan,  who  had  been 
driving  the  enemy  before  them,  about  four  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  came  upon  a  strong  force  of  rebels  near  Big 
Black  River,  and  drove  them  precipitately  across  the 
stream.  It  was  now  evident  that  the  rebels  were  evacuat 
ing  Grand  Gulf,  and  Grant  hurried  thither  with  one  brigade 
of  Logan's  division,  but  arrived  too  late;  not  only  was 
Grand  Gulf  deserted,  but  all  the  country  between  Big 
Black  and  Bayou  Pierre  open.  On  arriving  at  Grand  Gulf, 
Grant,  who  had  not  been  in  bed,  nor  had  his  clothes  off 
since  leaving  Bruinsburg,  went  on  board  a  gunboat,  took  a 
good  sleep,  and  then  borrowed  a  change  of  linen  from  Ad 
miral  Porter,  after  which  he  wrote  dispatches  till  midnight. 

Grant  now  .received  information  that  Pemberton  was 
marching  out  of  Vicksburg  to  give  him  battle,  while  the 
rebel  Joseph  E.  Johnston  was  coming  down  from  Jackson, 
to  fall  upon  his  rear.  The  movement  he  contemplated 
presented  most  splendid  advantages,  but  also  difficulties 
and  dangers  that  well  might  appall  the  heart  of  any  com 
mander.  He  must  advance  between  two  powerful  armies, 
either  of  which  was  strong  enough  to  be  a  formidable 
adversary,  and  both,  by  combining,  could  crush  him.  Ba- 
deau  tells  us  that  Grant's  officers  were  seriously  alarmed  at 
the  situation  of  affairs.  His  most  trusted  associates  be 
sought  him  to  change  his  plans,  while  his  superiors  were 
astounded  at  his  temerity,  and  strove  f,o  interfere. 

Soldiers  of  reputation  and  civilians  in  high  place  con 
demned  in  advance  a  campaign  that  seemed  to  them  as  hope 
less  as  it  was  unprecedented.  If  he  failed,  the  country 
would  concur  with  the  government  and  the  generals.  Grant 
knew  all  this,  and  appreciated  his  danger,  but  was  as  invul 
nerable  to  the  apprehensions  of  ambition  as  to  the  entreaties 


LIFE   OF   GRAKT.  145 

of  friendship  or  the  anxieties  even  of  patriotism.  That  quiet 
confidence  which  never  forsook  him,  and  which  amounted 
indeed  almost  to  a  feeling  of  fate,  was  uninterrupted.  Hav 
ing  once  determined  in  a  matter  that  required  irreversible 
decision,  he  never  reversed,  nor  even  misgave,  but  was 
steadily  loyal  to  himself  and  his  plans.  This  absolute  arid 
implicit  faith  was,  however,  as  far  as  possible  from  conceit 
or  enthusiasm.  It  was  simply  a  consciousness — or  convic 
tion,  rather — which  brought  the  very  strength  it  believed 
in — which  was  itself  strength — and  which  inspired  others 
with  a  trust  in  him,  because  he  was  able  thus  to  trust  him 
self. 

General  Howard  also  has  alluded  to  this  strong  convic 
tion,  on  the  part  of  General  Grant,  that  success  would 
crown  his  endeavors.  It  is  stated  in  a  paragraph  in  the 
New  York  Times,  of  February  18th  : 

"General  Howard  says  that  General  Grant  is  strictly  a 
temperate  man  and  religious.  His  marked  characteristic  is 
a  wonderful  faith  in  his  success,  amounting  almost  to  the 
fatality  in  which  Napoleon  so  strongly  believed.  General 
Howard  can  be  relied  on." 

"  My  army,"  he  wrote,  "  is  composed  of  hardy  and  dis 
ciplined  men,  who  know  no  defeat,  and  are  not  willing  to 
learn  what  it  is." 

It  is  said,  that,  during  all  the  fatigues  of  this  campaign, 
General  Grant  practiced  total  abstinence  from  all  intoxica 
ting  drinks.  This  is  the  testimony  of  those  who  were  con 
stantly  with  him. 

An  officer  on  his  staff,  who  must  have  been  acquainted 
with  his  daily  habits,  wrote  some  time  after  this : 

"  If  you  could  see  the  General  as  he  sits  just  over  beyond 
me,  with  his  wife  and  two  children,  looking  more  like  a  chap 
lain  than  a  general,  with  that  quiet  air  so  impossible  to  des 
cribe,  you  would  not  ask  me  if  he  drinks.  He  rarely  ever 
10 


146  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

uses  intoxicating  liquors.  He  is  more  moderate  in  his  hab 
its  and  desires,  and  more  pure  and  spotless  in  his  private 
character,  than  almost  any  man  I  ever  knew.  He  is  more 
brave,  has  more  power  to  command,  and  more  ability  to 
plan,  than  any  man  I  ever  served  under  ;  cool  to  excess 
when  others  lose  nerve,  always  hopeful,  always  undisturbed, 
never  failing  to  accomplish  what  he  undertakes." 

In  this  connection,  the  following  extracts  from  the  pen  of 
Major  Penniman  will  be  read  with  interest: 

"  I  have  seen  him  in  the  familiarity  and  seclusion  of 
camp  life,  and  I  know  perfectly  well  what  his  personal 
habits  are.  He  messes  with  his  staff  as  he  would  with  his 
own  family.  No  intoxicating  liquors  are  on  the  table  at 
dinner  or  at  any  other  time.  It  is  not  his  habit  to  use  them, 
nor  does  he  encourage  it  in  others.  No  man  of  all  the  hun 
dreds  of  thousands  he  has  commanded  ever  heard  General 
Grant  use  profane  language." 

To  add  to  his  difficulties,  Grant,  who  had  been  expecting 
assistance  from  Banks,  received  a  letter  from  that  general 
saying  that  he  could  not  reach  Port  Hudson  for  two  weeks, 
and,  even  after  the  reduction  of  that  place,  he  could  only 
reenforce  Grant's  army  with  about  twelve  thousand  men. 
The  President  wrote  Grant :  "  When  you  got  below  and 
took  Port  Gibson  and  Grand  Gulf,  I  thought  you  should  go 
down  the  river  and  join  General  Banks ;  and  when  you 
turned  northward,  east  of  the  Big  Black,  I  feared  it  was  a 
mistake."  Halleck  wrote  :  "  If  possible,  the  forces  of  your 
self  and  Banks  should  be  united  between  Vicksburg  and 
Port  Hudson,  so  as  to  attack  these  places  separately  with 
combined  forces."  Turning  a  deaf  ear  to  the  arguments  of 
his  inferiors  and  imploring  his  superiors  to  grant  him  a  few 
days  respite  from  their  orders,  Grant  turned  his  back  on 
the  Mississippi  River  and  started  for  Hankinson's  Ferry. 
Telegraphing  his  commissary,  u  Rush  me  forward  rations 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  147 

with  all  dispatch,"  he  set  his  army  in  motion,  traveling  with 
it  on  foot,  riding  borrowed  horses,  messing  with  any  gen 
eral  near  whose  camp  he  happened  to  be,  and  sleeping  at 
night  in  the  porches  of  houses  on  the  road.  When  he  left 
Hard  Times  he  took  no  baggage  but  a  bunch  of  cigars,  a 
towel  and  a  tooth-brush,  and  his  food  consisted  of  a  pound 
of  boiled  meat  which  he  carried  wrapped  in  the  towel.  Tel 
egraphing  to  Washington,  "  You  will  probably  not  hear  from 
me  for  several  days,"  he  cut  loose  from  his  communications 
and  plunged  into  the  wilderness  of  Black  River. 

Sending  Sherman  to  make  a  feint  on  Haines'  Bluff,  and 
Logan  to  fall  upon  the  enemy  at  Raymond,  Grant  quietly 
but  anxiously  awaited  the  result  of  his  first  move.  Logan, 
on  the  12th  of  May,  about  ten  o'clock,  came  upon  the 
rebel  Gregg's  brigade,  which  was  soon  reenforced  by  that 
of  W.  H.  Walker.  The  fighting  was  severe,  lasting  two 
hours,  when  the  rebels  gave  way  and  fled  toward  Jackson. 
Logan  lost  sixty-nine  killed  and  three  hundred  and  forty- 
one  wounded.  The  loss  of  the  enemy  was  much  greater. 
Sherman  made  a  dash  toward  Haines'  Bluff,  and  then  turned 
off  and  joined  McPherson. 

As  soon  as  Grant  heard  of  the  victory  at  Raymond,  he 
ordered  McPherson  and  Sherman  to  move  with  all  dispatch 
by  parallel  roads  upon  Jackson,  where  Joseph  E.  Johnston 
was  reported  to  be  with  his  rebel  army.  All  the  divisions 
were  now  concentrating  on  Jackson,  and  it  was  expected  a 
great  battle  would  soon  be  fought. 

The  following  is  a  full  account  of  the  preliminary  move 
ments  of  the  army,  before  the  final  advance  on  Raymond 
and  Jackson : 

"On  Thursday,  the  7th  of  May,  General  McPherson, 
commanding  the  Seventeenth  Army  Corps,  moved  his  troops 
to  Rocky  Springs,  and  his  camp  was  occupied  next  day  by 
General  Sherman,  with  the  Fifteenth  Army  Corps.  On 


148  LIFE    OF    GKANT. 

Saturday,  the  9th,  General  McPherson  again  moved  to  the 
eastward,  to  the  village  of  Utica,  crossing  the  road  occupied 
by  the  Thirteenth  Army  Corps,  under  General  McClernand, 
and  leaving  the  latter  on  his  left.  On  Sunday  morning,  the 
10th,  General  McClernand  marched  to  Five  Mile  Creek,  and 
encamped  on  the  south  bank  at  noon,  on  account  of  broken 
bridges,  which  were  repaired  the  same  day.  On  Monday 
morning,  the  llth,  General  Sherman's  corps  came  up,  passed 
General  McClernand's,  and  encamped  that  night  at  the  vil 
lage  of  Auburn,  about  ten  miles  south  of  Edwards'  Station, 
which  is  on  a  portion  of  the  railroad  from  Vicksburg  to 
Jackson.  As  soon  as  it  passed,  General  McClernand's  corps 
followed  a  few  miles,  and  then  took  a  road  going  obliquely 
to  the  left,  leading  to  Hall's  Ferry,  on  the  Big  Black  River. 
Thus,  on  Monday  evening,  May  llth,  General  McClernand 
was  at  Hall's  Ferry ;  General  Sherman  was  at  Auburn,  six 
or  eight  miles  to  the  north-east,  and  General  McPherson 
was  about  eight  miles  still  further  to  the  north-east,  a  few 
miles  north  of  Utica.  The  whole  formed  an  immense  line 
of  battle;  Sherman's  corps  being  in  the  center,  with  those 
of  McPherson  and  McClernand  forming  the  right  and  left 
wings.  It  will  be  observed,  also,  that  a  change  of  front  had 
been  effected.  From  Grand  Gulf  the  army  marched  east 
ward;  but,  by  these  last  movements,  it  had  swung  on  the 
left  as  a  pivot,  and  fronted  nearly  northward. 

"Up  to  this  the  enemy  had  not  appeared  on  our  line  of 
march.  On  Tuesday  morning,  May  12th,  General  McCler 
nand's  advance  drove  in  the  enemy's  pickets  near  HalFs 
Ferry,  and  brisk  skirmishing  ensued  for  an  hour  or  two, 
with  little  loss  to  either  side.  By  noon  the  rebels  had  dis 
appeared  from  his  front,  and  seven  wounded  and  none  killed 
was  the  total  Union  loss.  General  Sherman  put  Steele's 
division  in  motion  early  in  the  morning,  and^came  upon  the 
enemy  at  the  crossing  of  Fourteen  Mile  Creek,  four  miles 


LIFE   OF    GRANT.  149 

from  Auburn.  The  cavalry  advance  was  fired  into  from  the 
thick  woods  that  skirt  the  stream,  and  was  unable,  owing  to 
the  nature  of  the  ground,  to  make  a  charge  or  clear  the 
rebels  from  their  position.  A  battery  was  taken  to  the 
front,  supported  by  two  infantry  regiments,  and  threw  a 
few  shell  into  the  bushy  undergrowth  skirting  the  stream, 
which  gave  them  cover.  Skirmishers  were  thrown  out  and 
advanced  to  the  creek,  driving  the  enemy  slowly.  A  bri 
gade  was  thrown  to  the  right  and  left  flanks,  when  the  rebel 
forces,  mainly  cavalry,  withdrew  toward  Raymond.  The 
bridge  was  burned  during  the  skirmish,  but  a  crossing  was 
constructed  in  two  hours,  and  the  trains  were  passing  before 
noon. 

Grant  was  never  behind  his  troops,  but  each  day  changed 
his  head-quarters,  keeping  with  the  advance  of  the  center 
of  the  three  columns,  the  better  to  direct  the  movements 
.of  all." 


150  LIFE   OF   GRANT. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

PEMBERTON    DECEIVED    BY     GRANT — DEFEAT    OF    JOHNSTON CAPTURE    OF 

JACKSON DESTRUCTION    OF    REBEL    PROPERTY JOHNSTON  DECEIVED    BY 

GRANT — MEETING    OF    SHERMAN,  GRANT   AND    M'PHERSON  AT    THE    STATE 

CAPITAL — ADVANCE  ON  PEMBERTON — BATTLE  OF  CHAMPION  HILLS — DE 
TAILS    OF   THE    BATTLE RETREAT   OF   PEMBERTON SHERMAN'S   OPINION 

OF    THE    CAMPAIGN GRAN'f's    REPLY FIRST    ASSAULT    ON    VICKSBURG — 

DETAILS  OF  THE  ACTION THE  NAVAL  OPERATIONS  ON   THE  RIVER COM 
MUNICATION  WITH    GRANT    ESTABLISHED IIAINES'   BLUFF   SEIZED    FOR    A 

NEW  BASE PREPARATIONS   FOR  THE  SIEGE. 

To  deceive  Pemberton  as  to  his  destination,  Grant  sent 
McClernand  to  threaten  Edwards'  Station.  Very  skillfully 
McClernand  deluded  the  foe,  making  him  believe,  until  it 
was  too  late  to  help  Johnston,  that  Edwards'  Station  was 
the  objective  point  of  attack.  Sherman  and  McPherson 
were  now  nearing  Jackson  by  different  roads,  and  Johnston, 
alarmed  at  their  approach,  hastily  sent  an  order  to  Pember 
ton  to  attack  them  in  the  rear  at  Clinton,  but  Pemberton 
had  his  hands  full  with  McClernand,  and  was  himself  ex 
pecting  an  attack.  Johnston  marched  out  of  Jackson  and 
intrenched  in  battle  array,  hoping  to  check  Grant  in  front 
until  Pemberton  could  fall  upon  his  rear. 

On  the  14th  of  May,  Sherman  and  McPherson  met 
before  Jackson,  and  at  once  commenced  the  attack  in 
the  midst  of  a  heavy  rain.  As  the  hostile  batteries  were 
exchanging  shots,  General  Grant  carefully  examined  the 
ground,  and  posted  his  troops  for  the  decisive  attack.  We 
will  not  attempt  to  describe  the  tactics  of  the  battle.  For 


LIFE    OF    (JRANT.  151 

an  hour  it  was  delayed  by  a  shower,  in  which  the  windows 
of  heaven  seemed  to  be  apened,  and  both  armies  were 
drenched  by  the  flood.  No  man  could  open  his  cartridge- 
box,  lest  it  should  be  instantly  filled  with  water. 

As  the  rain  abated,  the  battle  commenced  with  the  inces 
sant  rattle  of  musketry  and  the  roar  of  artillery.  Both 
parties  fought  with  fierceness,  with  desperation.  Sherman, 
early  in  the  action,  discovered  the  weakness  of  the  enemy 
on  his  right,  arid  pushing  out  a  reconrioissance,  he  turned 
their  defenses  and  caused  a  rapid  evacuation  of  this  part  of 
their  line.  Meanwhile  McPherson  made  a  spirited  assault 
on  the  left,  Crocker's  division  charging  with  a  yell,  and  com 
pletely  breaking  the  rebel  line.  The  enemy  now  fearing 
that  Sherman,  who  was  coming  rapidly  down  the  Missis 
sippi  Springs  road,  would  get  in  their  rear,  fled  in  confusion, 
leaving  seventeen  cannon,  the  State  capitol,  and  a  vast  quan 
tity  of  valuable  property  in  the  hands  of  the  Union  troops. 
General  Grant,  with  his  staif,  was  the  first  to  enter  the  ene 
my's  works.  His  son,  a  lad  of  thirteen  years,  accompanied 
him  upon  this  campaign.  As  they  approached  the  town,  the 
boy  galloped  ahead,  and  was  the  first  to  enter  the  capital 
of  Mississippi. 

General  Grant  allowed  himself  not  a  moment  to  repose 
upon  his  laurels.  Indeed  the  rebels  were  all  around  him, 
and  the  utmost  activity  and  vigilance  were  requisite  to  se 
cure  himself  from  disaster.  The  troops  marched  into  the 
streets,  and  the  national  banner  was  proudly  unfurled  from 
the  State  House.  The  intrenchments  and  rifle-pits  outside 
of  the  city  were  occupied  by  the  Union  troops.  General 
Grant  took  possession  of  the  house  which  General  Johnston 
had  the  night  before  occupied.  After  destroying  the  rail 
roads,  bridges,  arsenals,  and  every  thing  that  could  be  of 
military  use  to  the  rebels,  Grant  gave  immediate  orders  for 
the  troops  to  wheel  about,  march  with  all  rapidity  to  Ed- 


15:2  LIFE    OF   Oil  ANT. 

wards'  Station  and  attack  Pemberton.  The  soldiers,  who 
had  now  begun  to  understand  something  about  Grant's 
tactics,  obeyed  with  alacrity,  regardless  <Jf  hunger  or  fatigue. 
In  the  evening  Grant  met  his  fighting  generals,  Sherman 
and  McPherson,  at  the  State  House,  and  warm  were  the 
hand-shakings  and  congratulations. 

Johnston,  after  his  defeat  at  Jackson,  had  retreated  about 
fifteen  miles  north  by  the  Canton  road,  where  he  began 
fortifying,  still  expecting  Pemberton  to  come  up  and  attack 
Grant  in  the  rear.  Leaving  him  to  enjoy  his  trenches, 
Grant,  on  the  15th,  began  his  march  on  Pemberton.  At 
five  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  16th,  two  railroad  men, 
who  were  employe's  of  the  army,  had  passed  through  Pem- 
berton's  camps  the  evening  before,  were  brought  to  Grant's 
head-quarters  and  reported  that  the  rebel  troops  were  ad 
vancing  to  attack  him.  Sherman,  who  had  been  left  behind, 
was  at  once  ordered  up,  and  preparations  made  to  meet 
him.  Grant,  who  was  always  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of 
his  fighting  forces,  and  directing  their  movements,  came  up 
to  Clinton  and  established  his  head-quarters.  The  troops 
were  posted  in  the  following  order: 

Extreme  left,  General  Smith,  supported  by  General  Blair; 
on  the  right  of  General  Smith,  General  Osterhaus,  sup 
ported  by  General  Carr;  General  Hovey  in  the  center,  with 
General  McPherson's  corps  on  the  extreme  right,  with  Gen 
eral  Crocker  as  reserve.  In  this  order  the  advance  was 
made.  General  McClernand's  corps,  with  the  exception  of 
General  Hovey's  division,  reaching  the  position  by  way  of 
the  several  roads  leading  from  Raymond  to  Edwards'  Sta 
tion.  <  ••»!•:, 

The  first  demonstration  of  the  enemy  was  on  our  extreme 
left,  which  he  attempted  to  turn.  This  attempt  was  most 
gallantly  repulsed  by  General  Smith,  commanding  the  left 
wing.  At  seven  o'clock  the  skirmishers  were  actively  en- 


LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


153 


gaged;  and  as  the  enemy  sought  the  cover  of  the  forest 
our  artillery  fire  was  opened,  which  continued  without  inter 
mission  for  two  houPB.  At  this  time  General  Ransom's 
brigade  marched  on  the  field,  and  took  up  a  position  as 
reserve  behind  General  Carr. 

Now  the  battle  raged  fearfully  along  the  entire  line,  the 
evident  intention  of  the  enemy  being  to  mass  his  forces 
upon  Hovey  on  the  center.  There  the  fight  was  most 


CHAMPION  HILT.S  BATTI.K  GROUND. 


earnest;  but  General  McPherson  brought  his  forces  into 
the  field,  and  after  four  hours  hard  fighting  the  tide  of  bat 
tle  was  turned  and  the  enemy  forced  to  retire. 

Disappointed  in  his  movements  upon  our  right,  the  rebels 
turned  their  attention  to  the  left  of  Hovey's  division,  where 
Colonel  Slack  commanded  a  brigade  of  Indianians.  Mass 
ing  his  forces  here,  the  enemy  hurled  them  against  the 
opposing  columns  with  irresistible  impetuosity,  and  forced 


154  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

them  to  fall  back;  not,  howewer,  until  at  least  one  quarter 
of  the  troops  comprising  the  brigade  were  either  killed  or 
wounded.  Taking  a  new  position,  and  receiving  fresh  re- 
enforcements,  our  soldiers  again  attempted  to  stem  the  tide, 
this  time  with  eminent  success.  The  enemy  was  beaten 
back,  and  compelled  to  seek  the  cover  of  the  forest  in  his 
rear.  Following  up  their  advantage,  without  waiting  to 
reform,  the  soldiers  of  the  Western  army  fixed  their  bayo 
nets  and  charged  into  the  woods  after  them.  The  rebels 
were  seized  with  an  uncontrollable  panic,  and  thought  only 
of  escape.  In  this  terrible  charge  men  were  slaughtered 
by  hundreds.  The  ground  was  literally  covered  with  thfc 
dead  and  dying.  The  enemy  scattered  in  every  direction, 
and  rushed  through  the  fields  to  reach  the  column  now 
moving  to  the  west  along  the  Vicksburg  road.  At  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  battle  was  over  and  the  victory 
won. 

Of  the  part  taken  in  this  battle  by  McPherson's  corps, 
it  is  only  necessary  to  say  that  it  rendered  the  most  efficient 
and  satisfactory  assistance.  To  it  belongs  the  credit  of 
winning  the  fight  on  the  extreme  right. 

The  battle  ended,  the  left  wing  was  speedily  advanced 
upon  the  Vicksburg  road,  driving  the  enemy  rapidly  before 
them,  and  picking  up  as  they  advanced  numbers  of  prison 
ers  and  guns. 

On'  the  left  of  the  road  we  could  see  large  squads  of  rebel 
soldiers  and  commands  cut  off  from  the  main  column,  and 
whom  we  engaged  at  intervals  with  artillery. 

Thus  we  pushed  the  enemy  until  nearly  dark,  when  we 
entered  the  little  village,  known  by  the  name  of  Edwards' 
Station,  the  enemy  was  leaving  it. 

When,  within  rifle  range  of  the  station,  we  discovered, 
on  the  left,  a  large  building  in  flames,  and  on  the  right  a 
smaller  one  from  which,  just  then,  issued  a  series  of  magnifi- 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  155 

cent  explosions.  The  former  contained  commissary  stores, 
and  the  latter  shell  and  ammunition — five  car-loads — brought 
down  from  Vicksburg  on  the  morning  of  the  day  of  the 
battle.  In  their  hasty  exit  from  Edwards'  Station,  the 
rebels  could  not  take  this  ammunition  with  them,  but  con 
signed  it  to  the  flames  rather  than  it  should  fall  into  our 
hands.  We  bivouacked  in  line  of  battle  at  night,  and  next 
day  moved  upon  the  bridge  across  Big  Black  River. 

The  following  extracts  from  General  McClernand's  official 
report  will  also  prove  interesting,  inasmuch  as  it  sets  forth 
the  part  taken  by  General  Grant  in  this  brilliant  affair : 

"  The  different  divisions  were  started  at  different  hours, 
in  consequence  of  the  different  distances  they  had  to  march, 
which  was  designed  to  secure  a  parallel  advance  of  the  col 
umns.  Believing  that  General  Hovey's  division  needed 
support,  I  sent  a  dispatch  to  General  Grant,  requesting  that 
General  McPherson's  corps  should  also  move  forward.  As 
surances  altogether  satisfactory  were  given  by  the  General, 
and  I  felt  confident  of  our  superiority." 

After  alluding  to  the  demonstrations  made  in  the  early 
part  of  the  contest,  General  McClernand  continues : 

"Early  notifying  Major-General  Grant  and  Major-Gen- 
eral  McPherson  of  what  had  transpired  on  the  left,  I  re 
quested  the  latter  to  cooperate  with  my  forces  on  the  right, 
and  directed  General  Hovey  to  advance  promptly  but  care 
fully,  and  received  a  dispatch  from  General  Hovey  inform 
ing  me  that  he  had  found  the  enemy  strongly  posted  in 
front;  that  General  McPherson's  corps  was  behind  him; 
that  his  right  flank  would  probably  encounter  severe  resist 
ance  ;  and  inquiring  whether  he  should  bring  on  the  impend 
ing  battle.  My  command  was  now  about  four  miles  from 
Edwards'  Station,  and  immediately  informing  Major-General 
Grant,  whom  I  understood  to  be  on  the  field,  of  the  position 
of  affairs,  I  inquired  whether  I  should  bring  on  a  general 


15G  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

engagement.  A  dispatch  from  the  General,  dated  at  thirty- 
five  minutes  past  noon,  came,  directing  me  to  throw  forward 
skirmishers  as  soon  as  my  forces  were  on  hand,  to  feel  and 
attack  the  enemy  in  force,  if  opportunity  occurred,  and  in 
forming  me  that  he  ivas  with  Hovey  and  McPherson,  and 
would  see  thai  they  fully  cooperated.  Meanwhile,  a  line  of 
skirmishers  had  encountered  Generals  Osterhaus  and  Smith's 
divisions,  closing  up  the  narrow  space  between  them.  »W««' 
These  measures  had  been  taken  in  compliance  with  General 
Grant's  orders,  based  on  information  of  wldcJi  lie  had  advised 
me,  that  the  enemy  was  in  greatest  strength  in  front  of  my 
center  and  left,  and  might  turn  my  left  flank  and  gain  my 
rear.  .  .  .  Instantly  upon  the  receipt  of  General  Grant's 
order  to  attack,  I  hastened  to  do  so." 

The  following  is  General  Johnston's  dispatch  announcing 
the  defeat  of  the  rebel  forces : 

"CAMP  BETWEEN  LIVINGSTON  AND  BROWNSVILLE,   MlSS.,  { 

"May  18,  1863.          j 
11  To  General  S.  Cooper: 

"  Lieutenant-General  Pemberton  was  attacked  by  the 
enemy  on  the  morning  of  the  16th  inst.,  near  Edwards' 
Depot,  and,  after  nine  hours'  fighting,  was  compelled  to  fall 
back  behind  the  Big  Black. 

" J.  E.  JOHNSTON,  General  Commanding" 

The  dispatch  also  shows  the  position  of  the  forces  that 
retreated  from  Jackson,  and  how,  by  General  Grant's  rapid 
movements,  they  had  been  cut  off  from  forming  a  junction 
with  Pemberton. 

The  Union  forces  lost  about  twenty-four  hundred  men, 
killed,  wounded,  and  missing.  The  rebel  loss  was  over 
three  thousand. 

Grant  ordered  the  troops  to  push  on  with  all  haste,  arid 
attack  Yicksburg.  The  bridge  over  Big  Black  was  speedily 
built,  and  at  nine  o'clock  on  the  18th,  Sherman's  advance 


LIFE    OP    GRANT. 


157 


was  within  three  miles  and  a  half  of  the  city.  Sherman,  at 
the  beginning  of  the  campaign,  wrote  to  Grant,  telling  him 
he  could  not  ration  his  command  over  the  narrow  and  tor 
tuous  roads  of  Black  River.  Grant  replied  he  did  not 
intend  to  haul  rations  for  his  army.  When  Sherman  read 
Grant's  reply,  he  exclaimed,  "Zounds,  is  the  man  mad; 
what  can  he  mean  ? "  The  question  had  remained  unan 
swered  in  Sherman's  mind  until  the  morning  of  the  18th 
of  May,  when  he  and  Grant,  who  were  riding  together, 
ascended  one  of  the  high  walnut  hills,  near  Vicksburg, 


GRANT'S  HEAD-QUAIITKHS  AT  VJOKSBUJUJ. 

overlooking  Yazoo  River  and  Haines'  Bluff.  As  Uncle 
Billy's  eye  caught  sight  of  the  deep  stream,  and  the  rear 
of  the  bluffs,  he  had,  in  vain,  sought  to  ascend  a  few  months 
before,  he  turned  abruptly  to  Grant  and,  with  deep  feeling, 
said,  "  Until  this  moment,  General,  I  never  thought  your 
expedition  a  success.  I  never  could  see  the  end  clearly, 
but  I  see  it  all  noAV.  This  is  indeed  a  campaign ;  a  success 
if  we  never  take  the  town." 

Grant,  in  his  quiet  taciturn  way,  knocked  the  ashes  off 


158  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

his  cigar  and  replied:  "I  guess  it  will  do,  and  we  shall  take 
the  place." 

The  troops  now  began  to  wind  up  the  hills  and  encircle 
the  doomed  city.  McClernand  took  the  south  side,  Mc- 
Pherson  the  center,  and  Sherman  on  the  right.  The  enemy 
fell  back  precipitately  from  Haines'  Bluff,  leaving  fourteen 
guns  in  our  hands.  During  the  morning  the  rebels  seemed 
to  be  giving  away  at  all  points,  and  a  large  number  of 
prisoners  were  taken. 

The  fall  of  Vicksburg  was  now  certain.  The  only  ques 
tion  was,  how  many  days  it  would  be  able  to  hold  out. 

But  three  weeks  had  passed  since  General  Grant  com 
menced  his  campaign.  He  had  marched  in  that  time  over 
two  hundred  miles,  had  fought  five  battles,  in  which  over 
twelve  thousand  rebels  had  been  either  killed,  wounded, 
or  taken  prisoners.  He  had  seized  the  capital  of  the  State 
of  Mississippi,  and  destroyed  the  railroads  leading  to  it  for 
a  distance  of  more  than  thirty  miles  around.  He  had 
started  upon  this  enterprise  without  baggage  wagons,  and 
with  an  average  of  but  two  days'  rations  in  the  soldiers' 
haversacks.  His  losses  in  all — killed,  wounded,  and  missing 
— were  but  four  thousand  three  hundred  and  thirty-five. 
As  the  crowning  result  of  all  this,  he  had  invested  the  city 
and  garrison  of  Vicksburg  so  that  their  fall  was  inevitable. 
The  fall  of  Vicksburg  insured  the  evacuation  of  Port 
Hudson.  Thus  the  Mississippi  would  be  open  to  the  nation 
from  Cairo  to  its  mouths. 

Anxious  to  conclude  his  brilliant  campaign,  and  "relying," 
says  General  Grant,  "  upon  the  demoralization  of  the  enemy 
in  consequence  of  repeated  defeats  outside  of  Vicksburg,  I 
ordered  a  general  assault  at  two  P.  M.  on  this  day." 

The  following  account  of  the  first  attack  on  Vicksburg, 
written  by  an  eye-witness,  will  be  read  with  interest : 

"  The  corps  of  General  Sherman  moved  up  on  the  Haines' 


LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


159 


Bluff  road,  by  a  sort  of 
poetic  justice  taking  pos 
session  of  the  ground  by 
the  rear  which  he  had 
once  vainly  attempted  to 
gain  from  the  front.  Mc- 
Pherson  advanced  on  the 
Jackson  road,  and  covered 
the  ground  from  the  left 
of  Sherman  to  the  rail 
road,  while  McClernand's 
corps  occupied  the  front 
from  the  railroad  to  the 
extreme  left. 

"  The  action  began  by  | 
a  slow  fire  from   our  ar-  * 
tillery    along    the    whole 
line,  our  guns   having  a 
pretty   long    range,    and 
eliciting    but    feeble    re 
sponse  from  the  enemy. 

"About  noon,  Oster- 
haus'  division  advanced 
on  the  left  to  within  about 
six  hundred  yards  of  the 
enemy's  works,  to  find 
themselves  confronted  by  fifteen  redoubts,  with  their 
pits,  which  opened  fire  'upon  us  whenever  we  appeared 
crest  or  through  a  hollow. 


rifle- 
on  a 


*The  streets  of  Vicksburg  are  cut  through  the  hills,  and  houses  are 
often  seen  far  above  the  street  passengers.  In  the  perpendicular  banks 
formed  by  these  cuttings,  and  composed  of  clay,  caves  were  dug  at  the 
beginning  of  the  siege,  sonic  of  them  sufficiently  large  to  accommodate 
whole  families,  and,  in  some  instances,  communicating  with  each  other 


160 


LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


"The  guns  of  the 
rebels  appeared  to  be 
of  small  caliber,  throw 
ing  principally  grape 
and  canister.  Our  skir 
mishers  were  thrown 
|  further  up ;  but  little 
firing  was  done  on 
either  side. 

"At  two  o'clock  the 
order  came  for  a  gen- 
£  eral  advance  upon  the 
rebel  works,  over 
ground  which,  on  the 
left,  at  least,  ivas  al 
most  impassable  under 
the  most  peaceful  cir 
cumstances.  The  order 

seemed  a  hard  one ;  yet  nothing  is  too  hard  for  true  soldiers 

to  try. 

by  corridors.  Such  was  the  character  of  some  made  on  Main  Street, 
opposite  the  house  of  Colonel  Lyman  J.  Strong,  for  the  use  of  his 
family  and  others,  and  of  which  the  writer  made  the  accompanying 
-sketch  in  April,  18GG.  The  caves  were  then  in  a  partially  ruinous 
•state,  as  were  most  of  them  in  and  around  Vicksburg,  for  rains  had 
washed  the  banks  away,  or  had  caused  the  filling  of  the  caves.  In 
this  picture  the  appearance  of  the  caves,  in  their  best  estate,  is 
delineated,  with  furniture,  in  accordance  with  descriptions  given  to 
the  writer  by  the  inhabitants. 

A  graphic  account  of  the  events  in  these  crypts  is  given  in  a  little 
volume  entitled,  "My  Cave-Life  in  Vicksburg,  by  a  Lady"  published  in 
New  York,  in  1864.  It  was  written  by  the  wife  of  a  Confederate 
officer  who  was  in  the  besieged  city,  and  lived  in  one  of  these  caves 
with  her  children  and  servants. 

The  picture  in  the  text  above  gives  a  good  idea  of  the  external 
appearance  of  these  caves,  in  the  suburbs  of  the  city.  It  is  from  a 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  1151 

"  General  A.  L.  Lee,  who  commanded  the  First  Brigade  of 
Osterhaus'  division,  and  was  in  the  advance,  determined  to 
carry  out  his  orders  if  their  execution  was  possible.  Ad 
dressing  a  few  words  of  cheer  to  his  men,  he  placed  himself 
in  front  of  the  center  of  his  brigade,  led  them  forward  in 
line  of  battle,  and  was  the  first  man  to  gain  the  crest  of  the 
hill  which  he  was  attempting.  He  then  found  that  it  was 
only  the  first  of  several  ridges  which  were  to  be  crossed,  the 
ravines  between  which  were  swept  by  the  guns  of  the 
enemy's  redoubt.  Still  he  tried  to  press  on,  and  his  brigade 
of  brave  fellows  to  follow  him,  the  air,  in  the  meantime, 
thick  with  bullets  and  shells ;  but  a  bail  from  the  rifle  of  a 
sharpshooter  struck  him  in  the  face  and  he  fell.  His 
brigade  withdrew  a  few  feet  only,  behind  the  crest  of  the 
hill  on  which  they  had  just  raised,  and  held  their  position ; 
one  of  the  regiments  getting  so  favorable  a  point,  that  they 
were  able  to  remain  within  about  two  hundred  yards  of  one 
of  the  redoubts,  and  to  prevent  the  gunners  from  firing  a 
single  shot. 

"  I  am  glad  to  say  that  General  Lee,  though  severely,  was 
by  no  means  dangerously  wounded.  His  brigade  sustained 
a  much  sjnaller  loss  than  a  distant  observer  could  have 
believed  possible. 

"  The  same  degree  of  success,  or  want  of  success,  attended 
the  movement  along  the  whole  line.  Our  forces  moved  very 
close  to  the  works,  and  then  remained  waiting  and  watching 
for  the  nearer  approach  of  our  artillery.  At  night-fall  our 
troops  retired  a  short  distance,  and  went  into  camp.  Dur 
ing  the  night  heavy  siege-guns  were  planted  by  us  for  future 

sketch  made  by  the  writer  on  the  old  Jackson  road,  where  the 
Second  Mississippi  Regiment  was  stationed  during  a  portion  of  the 
siege.  In  the  view,  the  spectator  is  looking  down  toward  VTicksburg. 
A  plain,  and  the  bluffs  on  the  border  of  the  Mississippi,  are  seen  in 
the  disc-lace. — ttMStngs  Civi?  Wat  in  America. 


162  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

use,  our  light  artillery  moved  nearer,  and  a  slight  earth 
work  was  thrown  up  to  protect  them. 

"  To-day  (Wednesday,  May  20th)  the  heavy  guns  on  our 
left  opened  long  before  daylight.  As  heretofore,  the  enemy 
have  failed  to  reply.  Our  skirmishers  are  pushed  forward 
within  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  the  whole  line  of  the 
redoubts,  and  keep  so  sharp  a  lookout  that  the  enemy  finds 
it  impossible  to  work  his  guns. 

"On  the  center  two  heavy  siege-guns  are  in  position  less 
than  half  a  mile  from  a  strong  fort  just  in  front  of  them — so 
near  that  the  Minid-bullets  were  whistling  merrily  past  the 
ears  of  the  workmen.  To-morrow  they  will  open  on  the 
fort, 

"  On  the  right,  Sherman  still  holds  his  line  of  skirmishers 
well  up  to  the  rebel  forts  on  his  front,  and  the  artillerists 
are  trying  to  level  the  rebel  works,  so  far  without  success. 
During  our  operations  to-day,  thirty  or  forty  men  were 
wounded." 

In  the  meantime,  Admiral  Porter,  who  was  on  the  river 
just  below  Vicksburg,  with  his  gunboats,  hearing  the  firing 
on  the  18th,  had  advanced  to  cooperate  with  the  army. 
The  Choctaw,  Romeo,  and  Forest  Hose,  under  Lieutenant 
Commander  Breese,  were  ordered  to  the  Yazoo,  with 
instructions  to  push  on  until  they  opened  communications 
with  Grant  or  Sherman.  This  they  did  in  a  handsome 
manner.  The  De  Kalb  steamed  up  and  took  possession  of 
llaines7  Bluff,  where  Grant  established  his  new  base  of 
supplies,  and  began  preparations  for  the  siege. 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  163 


CHAPTER    X. 

SECOND  ATTACK  ON  VICKSBUUG — FULL  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  BATTLE — MISUN 
DERSTANDING  BETWEEN  GRANT  AND  il'GLERNAND — POSITION  OF  THE 
ARMY — PEMBERTON'S  ADDRESS — SHERMAN'S  EXPEDITION- — THE  MINES 
AT  V1CKSBURG TERRIFIC  EXPLOSION  OF  A  MINE FIGHT  IN  THE  CRA 
TER — PE.MBERTON  GJVES  UP  THE  GHOST HIS  LETTERS  TO  GRANT THEIR 

INTERVIEW — GRANT'S   LETTERS    TO   PEMBERTON — SURRENDER   OF   THE 

REBEL  GARRISON ADVANCE  OF  THE  UNION  TROOPS  INTO  V1CKSBURU 

GRANT  AT  PEMBERTON'S  HEAD-QUARTERS — IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  SURREN 
DER  OF  VICKSBURG — LINCOLN'S  LETTER  TO  GRANT. 

AFTER  the  first  attack  on  the  works  at  Vicksburg,  Grant 
withdrew  his  forces  to  a  short  distance  from  the  rebel  lines, 
and  began  throwing  up  intrenchmerits.  Skirmishing  con 
tinued  lively,  and  Grant  gave  his  rebel  foes  no  rest  by  day 
or  by  night.  Having  completed  his-  communications,  estab 
lished  his  depots,  and  supplied  his  hungry  and  weary  army 
with  an  abundance  of  rations,  the  great  General  began  to 
think  of  more  fighting. 

It  was  now  near  the  end  of  May,  and  General  Grant 
determined  to  at  once  assault  the  works,  afterward  giving 
his  reasons,  as  follows: 

"I  believed  an  assault  from  the  positions  gained  by  this 
time  could  be  made  successfully.  It  was  known  that 
Johnston  was  at  Canton  with  the  force  taken  by  him  from 
Jackson,  reenforced  by  other  troops  from  the  East,  and 
that  more  were  daily  reaching  him.  With  the  force  I  had, 
a  short  time  must  have  enabled  him  to  attack  me  in  tlio 
rear,  and,  possibly,  succeed  in  raising  the  siege/  Posses- 


104  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

sion  of  Vicksburg  at  that  time  would  have  enabled  me  to 
have  turned  upon  Johnston,  and  driven  him  from  the  State, 
arid  possess  myself  of  all  the  railroads  and  practical  mili 
tary  highways,  thus  effectually  securing  to  ourselves  all 
territory  west  of  the  Tombigbee,  and  this  before  the  season 
was  too  far  advanced  for  campaigning  in  this  latitude.  I 
would  have  saved  the  Government  sending  large  reenforce- 
ments,  much  needed  elsewhere ;  and,  finally,  the  troops 
themselves  were  impatient  to  possess  Vicksburg,  and  would 
not  have  worked  in  the  trenches  with  the  same  zeal,  be 
lieving  it  unnecessary,  that  they  did  after  their  failure  to 
carry  the  enemy's  works." 

Feeling  that  it  was  best,  for  many  reasons,  to  make  the 
'assault  with  as  little  delay  as  possible,  he  commenced  his 
advance  with  General  McClernand,  with  the  Thirteenth 
Army  Corps  on  the  left,  General  McPherson,  with  the 
Seventeenth  in  the  center,  and  General  Sherman,  with  the 
Fifteenth,  on  the  right. 

On  the  night  of  the  21st  and  the  morning  of  the  22d  of 
May,  Porter  vigorously  shelled  the  rebel  forts,  and  at  ten 
o'clock,  the  Union  columns,  under  cover  of  a  fierce  artillery 
fire,  were  in  motion.  Grant  stationed  himself  on  the  sum 
mit  in  McPherson's  front,  where  he  could  see  the  opera 
tions  of  all  the  Seventeenth  Corps  and  parts  of  the  Thir 
teenth  and  Fifteenth,  under  McClernand  and  Sherman. 
Blair's  division  led  Sherman's  Corps,  with  Tuttle's  in  sup 
port,  while  Steele  moved  to  the  right,  and  made  an  attack. 
A  correspondent,  who  witnessed  the  fight,  gave  this  account 
of  it : 

"For  two  long  hours  did  the  cannonade  continue,  when 
a  general  charge  was  made.  "Winding  through  the  valleys, 
clambering  over  the  hills,  every- where  subjected  to  a  mur 
derous  enfilading  and  cross-fire,  the  advance  pressed  up 
close  to  the  rebel  works — -to  find  that  a  deep  ditch,  pro- 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  105 

tected  by  sharp  stakes  along  the  outer  edge,  lay  between 
them  and  the  intrenchments.  They  planted  their  flag  di 
rectly  before  the  fort,  and  crouched  down  behind  the  em 
bankment,  out  of  range  of  the  rebel  fire,  as  calmly  as  pos 
sible,  to  await  developments.  The  soldiers  within  the  forts 
could  not  rise  above  the  parapet  to  fire  at  them,  for  if  they 
did,  a  hundred  bullets  came  whizzing  through  the  air,  and 
the  adventurers  died. 

"The  rebels,  however,  adopted  another  plan.  Taking  a 
shell,  they  cut  the  fuse  close  oft',  lighted  it,  and  rolled  it 
over  the  outer  slope  of  the  embankment. 

"Subsequently,  with  picks  and  shovels,  a  way  was  dug 
into  one  fort,  and,  through  the  breach,  the  boys  walked 
bravely  in.  The  first  fort  on  the  left  of  the  railroad  was 
stormed  by  a  portion  of  General  Carr's  division,  and  gal 
lantly  taken.  The  colonel  that  led  the  charge  was  wounded. 

"  On  the  center  the  fire  was  persistent  and  terrible.  Many 
brave  officers  were  killed,  and  many  more  wounded.  Col 
onel  Dollins,  of  the  Eighty-first  Illinois,  fell  dead  while 
leading  his  men  to  the  charge. 

"Later  in  the  afternoon,  Gen.  Ransom's  brigade  charged 
the  works  opposite  his  position,  with  heavy  loss. 

"Steele  and  Tuttle,  on  the  right,  were  also  heavily  en 
gaged,  and  the  former  is  reported  to  have  lost  nearly  a  thou 
sand  men/' 

A  gentleman,  who  was  present  at  General  Grant's  head 
quarters  during  the  assault,  writes  as  follows : 

"At  a  given  hour  the  troops  were  in  motion,  moving  along 
the  ravines,  in  which  to  assume  the  required  formation  arid 
make  the  attack.  The  charges  were  most  admirably  exe 
cuted.  With  perfect  composure,  the  men  moved  up  the  hill, 
though  not  under  fire,  yet  under  the  influence  of  a  dreadful 
anticipation  of  a  deadly  volley  at  close  quarters.  When 
within  forty  vards  of  the  works,  of  a  sudden  the  parapet 


LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

was  alive  witli  armed  men,  and  in  an  instant  more  the  flash 
of  thousands  of  muskets  hurled  death  and  destruction  most 
appalling  into  the  ranks  of  our  advancing  columns.  Five 
hundred  men  lay  dead  or  bleeding  on  one  part  of  the  field 
at  the  first  fire.  Bravely,  against  all  odds,  this  command 
fought,  until  its  depleted  ranks  could  no  longer  stand,  when 
sullenly  it  withdrew,  under  cover  of  a  hill  near  by.  In 
addition  to  the  heavy  musketry  fire  which  repelled  the  as 
sault,  artillery  played,  with  dreadful  havoc,  upon  the  fading 
ranks,  which,  after  every  effort  to  win  the  goal,  were  obliged 
to  give  way — not  to  numbers,  but  impregnability  of  position. 

"Upon  the  whole,  as  regards  the  designs  of  our  move 
ment,  we  were  frustrated,  but  nothing  more.  Our  troops, 
with  but  few  exceptions,  held  their  own.  The  loss  of  this 
day's  engagement  has  been  exceedingly  heavy,  according 
to  first  accounts,  which  are  not  the  most  reliable,  and  it  is 
to  be  hoped  the  authenticated  returns  will  greatly  lessen 
the  casualties." 

Grant  had,  in  his  various  assaulting  columns,  about  thirty 
thousand  men,  while  Pemberton  opposed  him  with  about 
eighteen  thousand.  The  Union  loss,  in  killed,  wounded, 
and  missing,  was  three  thousand,  and  that  of  the  rebels 
thirteen  hundred. 

On  the  field,  during  the  action,  a  sharp  correspondence 
took  place  between  General  Grant  and  General  McClernand, 
the  latter  calling  loudly  and  repeatedly  for  reinforcements 
when  the  former  did  not  think  he  needed  them.  Grant,  at 
length,  reluctantly  sent  Quimby's  division  to  McClernand, 
and  ordered  Sherman  to  make  an  assault  in  his  favor,  which 
greatly  increased  the  mortality,  without  accomplishing  any 
good  result.  McClernand' s  men,  however,  fought  well,  and, 
at  one  time,  Benton's  brigade,  of  Carr's  division,  and  Bur- 
bridge's  briga.de,  of  Smith's  division,  had  advanced  so  far 
as  to  plant  their  flags  on  the  slopes  of  the  enemy's  forts. 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  167 

The  unfortunate  misunderstanding  between  Generals  Grant 
and  McClernand  during  the  battle  subsequently  led  to  the 
latter  being  relieved,  and  General  Ord  was  placed  in  com 
mand  of  the  Thirteenth  Army  Corps. 

Grant,  finding  he  could  not  carry  the  enemy's  works  by 
assault,  withdrew  on  the  evening  of  the  22d,  and  commenced 
a  regular  siege.  The  place  had  not  been  as  yet  completely 
invested;  communications  between  Johnston,  at  Canton,  and 
Pemberton,  at  Vicksburg,  still  existed.  At  several  points  on 
the  extreme  left,  rebel  troops  could  slip  out,  and  supplies  be 
got  in,  and  Grant,  knowing  the  place  could  not  be  reduced 
while  these  leaks  remained,  sent  for  Lauman's  division,  at 
Memphis,  Smith's  and  Kimball's  divisions,  of  the  Sixteenth 
Army  Corps,  Herron's  division,  from  Arkansas,  and  two 
divisions  of  the  Ninth  Corps,  under  Parke,  and  these  having 
arrived,  on  the  14th  of  June  the  doomed  city  lay  within  a 
wall  of  Union  steel. 

Grant's  army  was  now  thus  disposed:  Sherman,  with  Fif 
teenth  Corps,  on  the  extreme  right — from  the  river  to  the 
roads  leading  to  the  north-east  bastion ;  McPhcrson,  with 
the  Seventeenth,  on  his  left,  extending  to  the  railroad;  Ord, 
with  the  Thirteenth  Corps,  on  the  left  of  McPherson,  and  ex 
tending  to  Lauman's  ;  and  Herron's  division,  at  Stout's  Bayou, 
and  butting  against  the  bluff,  and  resting  on  the  swamp. 
Parke's  troops,  with  Smith's  and  Kimball's  divisions,  were 
at  Haines'  Bluff,  fortified;  General  Sherman,  with  parts  of 
the  Fifteenth  and  Seventeenth  Corps,  watching  Johnston. 

The  siege  was  conducted  with  such  vigor  that,  by  the  end 
of  June,  twelve  miles  of  trenches  had  been  dug,  eighty-nino 
batteries  reared,  and  two  hundred  and  twenty  guns  put  in 
position. 

Pemberton's  troops  had  become  greatly  dissatisfied,  and 
were  openly  charging  him  with  having  sold  the  battles  of 
Champion  Hills  and  Black  Ptiver  Bridge,  and  with  intend- 


108  Lin-:  <>F  CHANT. 

ing  to  surrender  Yicksburg  the  first  opportunity.  To  satisfy 
them,  the  rebel  general  issued  the  following  pithy  address 
to  his  soldiers  : 

"  COMRADES:  You  have  heard  that  I  was  incompetent  and  a 
traitor,  and  that  it  was  my  intention  to  sell  Yicksburg.  Fol 
low  me,  and  you  will  see  the  cost  at  which  I  will  sell  Yicksburg. 
When  the  last  pound  of  beef,  bacon,  and  flour ;  the  last  grain 
of  corn;  the  last  cow,  and  hog,  and  horse,  and  dog  shall  have 
been  consumed,  and  the  last  man  shall  have  perished  in  the 
trenches,  then,  and  only  then,  will  I  sell  Vicksburg" 

Seeing  himself  hopelessly  bottled  up,  Pemberton,  as  early 
as  the  27th  of  May,  sent  a  courier  to  Johnston,  with  the 
following  dispatch  : 

"I  have  fifteen  thousand  men  in  Yicksburg,  and  rations 
for  thirty  days — one  meal  a  day.  Come  to  my  aid,  with 
an  army  of  thirty  thousand  men.  Attack  Grant  in  the  rear. 
If  you  can  not  do  this  within  ten  days,  you  had  better  re 
treat.  Ammunition  is  almost  exhausted,  particularly  per 
cussion  caps." 

This  dispatch  was  sent  by  a  young  man  named  Douglas, 
whom  Pemberton  considered  entirely  trustworthy,  but  no 
sooner  did  he  find  himself  outside  of  the  rebel  lines,  than  he 
went  direct  to  the  Union  head-quarters,  and  delivered  his 
dispatch  to  General  Grant  instead  of  Johnston,  as  he  had 
been  commanded  to  do. 

Information  reaching  the  ears  of  the  commanding  general 
that  Johnston,  in  possession  of  a  considerable  force,  was 
moving  toward  the  Big  Black  River,  with  an  intention  of 
making  a  demonstration  on  our  army  in  the  rear  of 
Yicksburg,  induced  the  movement  of  a  sufficient  body  of 
troops  in  that  direction  to  meet  the  approaching  enemy,  if 
found,  as  reported,  and  engage  him  before  he  coulcl  effect  a 
crossing,  or,  at  every  hazard,  to  repel  any  attempt  he  might 
make  to  secure  a  foothold  on  this  side. 


LIFK    OF    GRANT. 

Sherman,  \vlio  commanded  this  expedition,  after  a  con 
siderable  march,  returned,  without  finding  Johnston,  and 
brought  the  gratifying  intelligence  that  the  rear  was  all 
safe,  bridges  burned,  trees  felled  to  obstruct  the  roads,  and 
that  five  hundred  cattle  and  ten  thousand  pounds  of  bacon 
had  been  captured  and  brought  in  by  the  troops. 

On  the  25th  of  June  the  sappers  and  miners  reported  the 
mines  ready  to  be  sprung.  The  greatest  possible  secresy 
had  been  observed  concerning  these  mines,  and,  except  the 
general  officers,  none  but  the  workmen  knew  where  they 
were,  or  when  they  would  be  exploded.  Approaching  them 
through  the  deep  ditches  and  zigzag  trenches  lined  with  our 
sharpshooters,  one  saw  little  holes  in  the  earth,  where  men 
were  crawling  in  and  out  on  their  hands  and  knees,  pushing 
pans  of  dirt  before  them.  These  were  the  mines.  Lnrke 
says  of  them : 

"Looking  around,  one  found  himself  in  plain  view  and 
within  five  yards  of  the  enemy's  strongest  work,  the  parapet 
of  which  was  about  twenty  feet  from  the  bottom  of  the 
ditch.  This  work  was  evidently  of  sod,  almost  perpendicular 
on  its  outer  face,  intended  to  mount  four  guns,  and  was 
supposed  to  be  the  keep  of  the  rebel  position.  A  few  steps 
in  advance,  and  the  visitor  was  Before  the  mine,  which  here 
had  the  appearance  of  a  square  shaft  dug  into  the  earth, 
with  a  gradual  declivity  as  you  penetrate.  The  entrance 
was  made  in  the  scarp  of  the  enemy's  fort,  and  presented 
an  opening  four  feet  square,  well  framed  with  timber  to 
keep  up  the  loose  earth  which  the  projectiles  of  the  attack 
ing  party  had  broken  from  the  face  of  the  work.  In  order 
to  protect  the  entrance,  a  number  of  gabions  and  boxes  had 
been  piled  up  before  the  mouth,  and  afforded  ample  security 
from  hand  grenades  and  shell  thrown  over  by  the  rebel 
troops  inside. 

"The  inaip  gallery,  from  the  mouth  to  the  point  of  diver- 


170  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

gence  of  the  other  galleries,  measured  thirty-five  feet. 
Here  three  smaller  galleries  set  out,  one  ten  feet  deep, 
obliquely  to  the  left;  another  eight  feet,  diverging  to  the 
right;  and  a  third,  eight  feet  in  length,  being  a  continuation 
of  the  main  gallery.  The  chambers  for  the  reception  of  the 
powder  were  let  into  the  bottom  of  the  shaft,  and  were 
about  two  feet  in  depth. 

"  Having  completed  one  gallery,  the  powder  was  brought 
up  and  packed  into  the  chambers  in  almost  equal  quantities, 
the  entire  quantity  used  being  twenty-two  hundred  pounds, 
one  thousand  of  which  were  placed  at  the  end  of  the  main 
gallery,  the  remainder  being  distributed  in  the  extremities 
of  the  smaller  galleries.  From  each  of  the  chambers  a  fuse 
was  run  out  to  the  mouth  of  the  shaft,  where  the  match  was 
to  be  applied  at  the  designated  time. 

"  The  working  party,  engaged  on  the  mines,  was  formed  of 
a  detail  from  various  regiments  under  General  Grant,  a  call 
being  made  to  forward  to  head-quarters  all  practical  miners 
in  the  regiments.  Accordingly,  in  a  few  hours  fifty  picked 
men,  chiefly  Welsh,  Scotch,  English,  and  Irish,  of  experience 
in  the  old  country,  were  immediately  organized  into  a 
corps,  under  the  direct  command  of  a  miner  of  reputation. 
This  party  reported  to  the  chief  of  the  corps  of  engineers, 
and  the  work  at  once  commenced,  the  entire  time  occupied 
for  the  excavation  being  forty  hours. 

"Another  sap  was  also,  on  the  last  day,  run  off  to  the  left, 
at  an  angle  to  the  main  one  leading  to  the  mine.  This  sap 
ran  parallel  to  the  enemy's  breastwork,  and  just  outside  of 
where  ran  the  exterior  end  of  the  ditch,  which  had  been 
partly  filled.  The  object  of  this  new  sap  was  to  afford  a 
secure  place  for  the  Union  sharpshooters,  and  enable  them 
to  hold  their  ground  on  the  right  by  keeping  down  a  flank 
fire.  The  length  of  the  sap  was  about  fifty  yards. 

"It. may  be  supposed  by  some  that  the  running  of  mines 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  171 

is  the  mere  operation  of  the  pick  and  shovel,  without  inter 
ference  on  the  part  of  the  enemy  by  means  of  the  same 
instruments,  as  well  as  by  his  riflemen  picking  off  the  men 
as  they  approach,  or  by  throwing  hand  grenades  and  shell 
over  the  parapet  among  the  men.  This  idea  is  quite 
different  from  the  reality.  A  few  facts  connected  with  the 
proceedings  may  enable  the  reader  to  form  some  notion  of 
this  dangerous  operation.  The  work  is  generally  performed 
after  dark  ;  and,  on  the  night  preceding  the  explosion  of 
June  25,  1863,  the  working  party  returned  to  the  mine, 
already  a  depth  of  thirty-five  feet,  which  was  the  entire 
number  of  feet  of  the  main  gallery.  The  men  had  but  fairly 
commenced  when  they  heard,  as  they  supposed,  near  by,  the 
picking  and  shoveling  of  another  party,  which  they  knew 
to  be  the  enemy,  endeavoring  to  intercept  the  Union  mine. 
The  men  of  the  attacking  side  at  once  desisted  from  their 
labors,  and  applied  their  ears  to  the  walls  of  the  gallery  in 
order  to  detect  the  direction  of  approach,  if  possible,  of  the 
enemy's  countermine.  Soon,  however,  the  enemy  himself 
ceased  his  labors.  The  Unionists  once  more  resumed 
operations,  and  worked  until  midnight,  the  enemy  working 
at  the  same  time,  and  seemingly  approaching  the  outside 
shaft.  'At  this  juncture,'  says  a  correspondent,  'an 
unexpected  panic  overcame  the  workers,  and  they  hurried 
out  of  the  mine  with  considerable  dispatch.  The  cause  of 
this  excitement  is  said  to  have  been  a  suspicion  that  the 
enemy  was  about  to  blow  up  his  own  mine,  in  view  of 
counteracting  our  own.  Accordingly,  nothing  was  done 
until  morning,  when  the  party,  re-assured,  renewed  their 
work.' " 

The  brilliant  writer  Keim,  in  his  dispatches,  thus  describes 
the  scene  of  the  explosion : 

"Every  thing  was  finished.  The  vitalizing  spark  had 
quickened  the  hitherto  passive  agent,  and  the  now  hurrnlcss 


172  L1FK    OF    <.JKA.\T. 

flashes  went  hurrying  to  the  center.     The  troops  had  been 
withdrawn.     The    forlorn    hope    stood   out   in   plain   view, 
boldly  awaiting   the   uncertainties   of   the  precarious  office. 
A  chilling  sensation  ran  through  the  frame  as  an  observer 
looked  down  upon  this  devoted  band  about  to  hurl   itself 
into  the  breach — perchance  into  the  jaws  of  death.     Thou 
sands  of  men  in  arms  flashed  on  every  hill.     Every  one  was 
speechless.     Even  men  of  tried  valor — veterans  insensible 
to   the   shouts   of  contending  battalions,   or  nerved   to   the 
shrieks  of  comrades  suffering  under  the  torture  of  painful 
agonies — stood  motionless  as  they  directed  their  eyes  upon 
the  spot  where  soon  the  terror  of  a  buried  agency  would 
discover  itself  in  wild  concussions  and  cortortions,  carrying 
annihilation  to  all  within  the  scope  of  its  tremendous  power. 
It  was  the  seeming  torpor  which  precedes  the  antagonism 
of  powerful  bodies.     Five  minutes  had  elapsed.     It  seemed 
like  an  existence.     Five  minutes  more,  and  yet  no  signs  of 
the    expected    exhibition.     An    indescribable    sensation    of 
impatience,    blended    with    a    still    active    anticipation,    ran 
through  the  assembled  spectators.     A  small  pall  of  smoke 
now    discovered    itself;    every  one   thought  the   crisis   had 
come,  and  almost  saw  the  terrific  scene  which  the  mind  had 
depicted.     But  not  yet.     Every  eye  now  centered  upon  the 
smoke,   momentarily   growing    greater   and   greater.     Thus 
another  five   minutes    wore    away,    and    curiosity   was    not 
satisfied.     Another  few  minutes,   then   the   explosion ;   and 
upon   the   horizon   could  be   seen   an  enormous  column  of 
earth,  dust,  timbers,  and  projectiles  lifted  into  the  air  at  an 
altitude    of   at   least   eighty  feet.     Blackened   and  mangled 
forms  of  men,  rocks,  cannons,  and  trees   rose  toward  the 
heavens,  while  the  earth  rocked  as  if  rent  with  an  earth 
quake.     The   siege-guns   along   a   line   of  twelve   miles   of 
works  burst  forth  with  the  fiercest  blasts  of  war.     The  scene 
at  this  time  was  one  of  the  utmost  sublimity.     The  roar  of 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  173 

artillery,  rattle  of  small  arms,  the  cheers  of  the  men,  Hashes 
of  light,  wreaths  of  pale  blue  smoke  over  different  parts  of 
the  field,  the  bursting  of  shells,  the  fierce  whistle  of  solid 
shot,  the  deep  boom  of  the  mortars,  the  broadsides  of  the 
ships  of  war,  and,  added  to  all  this,  the  vigorous  replies  of 
the  enemy,  set  up  a  din  which  beggars  all  description. 

"The  troops  rushed  in  at  the  gorge,  which  was  large 
enough  to  hold  two  regiments.  The  rebel  troops,  with 
equal  desperation,  rushed  forward  to  meet  them ;  and  thus 
the  struggle  continued,  not  only  until  the  sun  went  down, 
riot  only  until  the  twilight  disappeared,  but  far  into  the 
hours  of  night.  Volley  after  volley  was  fired,  though  with 
less  carnage  than  would  be  supposed.  The  Forty-fifth 
Illinois  charged  immediately  up  to  the  crest  of  the  parapet, 
and  here  suffered  its  heaviest,  losing  many  officers  in  the 
assault. 

"During  the  hottest  of  the  action,  General  Leggett  was 
in  the  fort  in  the  midst  of  his  troops,  sharing  their  dangers 
arid  partaking  of  their  glory.  While  here,  a  shell  from 
one  of  the  enemy's  guns  exploded  in  a  timber  lying  on  the 
parapet,  distributing  splinters  in  all  directions,  one  of  which 
struck  the  General  on  the  breast,  knocking  him  over. 
Though  somewhat  bruised  and  stunned,  he  soon  recovered 
himself,  and  taking  a  chair,  sat  in  one  of  the  trenches  near 
the  fort,  where  he  could  be  seen  by  his  men." 

When  the  mine  exploded,  six  men  of  the  Forty-third 
Mississippi  Regiment,  who  were  in  the  rebel  shaft  counter 
mining,  were  buried  alive,  and  their  bones  rest  to  this  day 
in  the  grave  their  own  hands  had  digged.  Two  other  rebels, 
who  were  standing  in  the  fort,  were  tossed  into  the  air, 
and  came  down  within  the  Union  lines,  sustaining  no  further 
injury  than  being  badly  shocked  and  frightened.  One  had 
his  knapsack  on  his  back,  and  seemed  mightily  astonished 
to  see  where  he  had  landed. 


174  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

Grant  seemed  well  satisfied  with  the  day's  operations, 
and  in  the  evening  wrote  to  Ord: 

<*  - 

"JuxE  25,  IS63. 

"  GENERAL  ORD  : — McPherson  occupies  the  crater  made  by 
the  explosion.  He  will  have  guns  in  battery  there  by  morn 
ing.  He  has  been  hard  at  work  running  rifle-pits  right, 
and  thinks  he  will  hold  all  gained.  Keep  Smith's  Division 
sleeping  under  arms  to-night,  ready  for  an  emergency.  Their 
services  may  be  required,  particularly  about  daylight.  There 
fihould  be  the  greatest  vigilance  along  the  ivhole  line. 

"U.  S.  GRANT,  Major- General." 


In  the  meantime,  the  gunboat  fleet  off  "Warren ton  com 
menced  a  bombardment  of  the  enemy's  forts.  This  was 
kept  up  without  intermission  until  midnight,  when  it  was 
slackened  to  desultory  shots.  The  fuses  of  the  shells  as 
they  ascended  in  the  air  were  easily  distinguishable,  and 
looked  in  their  course  like  shooting  meteors.  When  they 
would  strike,  the  shell  would  explode  with  a  terrific  report. 
Some  of  the  shells  exploded  in  the  air,  and  the  flashes 
which  they  emitted  looked  like  an  immense  piece  of  pyro- 
techny. 

Pemberton's  spirit  was  now  broken,  and  he  saw  before 
him  nothing  but  defeat  and  surrender;  yet  he  resisted  with 
a  bravery  worthy  of  a  better  cause.  Johnston  had  written 
to  him  to  say,  UI  am  too  weak  to  save  Vicksburg;  can  do 
no  more  than  attempt  to  save  you  and  your  garrison.  It 
will  be  impossible  to  extricate  you  unless  you  cooperate." 

Flour  was  a  thousand  dollars  a  barrel  in  Vicksburg; 
beef  two  dollars  and  a  half  a  pound ;  and  molasses  twelve 
dollars  a  gallon.  The  troops  could  not  sleep  at  night  for 
fear  of  being  blown  into  the  air  before  morning;  and  the 
citizens  were  burrowing  into  the  earth,  to  escape  the  shells 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  175 

which  were  continually  dropping  in  the  streets  or  bursting 
in  the  houses.  Pemberton  had  but  seven  days'  full  rations 
left,  and  .plainly  saw  he  must  starve  or  surrender.  The  toils 
and  cares  of  Grant  were  now  overwhelming;  he  slept  but 
little,  and  partook  sparingly  of  food.  His  great  mind  seemed 
to  be  constantly  studying  the  rebel  works,  and  for  hours  at 
a  time  he  gazed  upon  the  high  forts  before  him. 

In  the  admirable  "Military  History  of  General  Grant./' 
by  General  Adam  Badeau,  we  have  the  following  extracts 
from  dispatches  sent  by  General  Grant  to  his  subordinate 
officers,  which  will  give  the  reader  some  idea  of  the  multi 
plicity  of  cares  which  must  have  engrossed  his  mind : 

To  Parke  he  wrote  :  "  I  want  the  work  of  intrenching 
your  position  pushed  with  all^  dispatch.  Be  ready  to  receive 
an  attack,  if  one  should  be  made ;  and  to  leave  the  troops 
free  to  move  out,  should  the  enemy  remain  where  he  is." 

To  Ord :  "Get  batteries  as  well  advanced  as  possible, 
during  the  day  and  night." 

To  Parke,  directing  him  to  join  Sherman :  "  An  attack  is 
contemplated,  evidently  by  way  of  Bear  Creek,  and  that 
within  two  days.  Move  out  four  brigades  of  your  command, 
to  support  your  cavalry;  and  obstruct  their  advance,  as  near 
Black  River  as  possible,  until  all  the  forces  to  spare  can  be 
brought  against  them.  Travel  with  as  little  barrage  as  pos- 

o  o  co    o  j 

sible,  and  use  your  teams  as  an  ordnance  and  supply  train, 
to  get  out  all  you  may  want  from  the  river." 

To  Dennis:  "An  attack  upon  you  is  not  at  all  impossible. 
You  will  therefore  exercise  unusual  vigilance  in  your  pre 
parations  to  receive  an  attack.  Keep  your  cavalry  out  as 
far  as  possible,  to  report  any  movement  of  the  enemy;  and 
confer  with  Admiral  Porter,  that  there  may  be  unanimity  in 
action.1' 

To  Parke :  "  Certainly  use  the  negroes,  and  every  thing 
within  your  command,  to  the  best  advantage." 


176  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

To  Herron :  "Be  ready  to  move  with  your  division  at 
the  shortest  notice,  with  two  days'  cooked  rations  in  their 
haversacks." 

To  McPherson  :  "  There  is  indication  that  the  enemy  will 
attack  within  forty-eight  hours.  Notify  McArthur  to  be 
ready  to  move  at  a  moment's  notice  on  Sherman's  order. 
The  greatest  vigilance  will  be  required  on  the  line,  as  the 
Vicksburg  garrison  may  take  the  same  occasion  for  an 
attack  also.'7 

By  the  1st  of  July,  Grant's  works,  at  ten  different  points, 
were  within  a  few  hundred  feet  of  the  rebel  defenses.  The 
time  for  final  assault  had  now  come.  It  was  understood  in 
both  armies  that  it  would  take  place  on  the  4th  of  July. 
On  the  morning  of  the  3d,  two  rebel  officers  were  seen  ap 
proaching  the  Union  lines  with  a  flag  of  truce,  and  bearing 
an  official  communication  for  General  Grant.  These  officers, 
General  Bowen  and  Colonel  Montgomery,  were  halted  at 
the  picket-line,  while  the  letter  they  bore  was  sent  with  all 
haste  by  a  courier  to  General  Grant's  head-quarters.  On 
opening  it,  the  General  found  it  was  from  Peinberton,  and 
read  as  follows  : 

"HEAD-QUARTERS,  VICKSBURG,  July  3,  1863. 
"  Major-  General  Grant,  commanding  United  States  forces : 

"  GENERAL  :  I  have  the  honor  to  propose  to  you  an 
armistice  for  —  hours,  with  a  view  to  arranging  terms  for 
the  capitulation  of  Vicksburg.  To  this  end,  if  agreeable  to 
you,  I  will  appoint  three  commissioners,  to  meet  a  like 
number  to  be  named  by  yourself,  at  such  place  and  hour 
as  you  may  find  convenient.  I  make  this  proposition  to 
save  the  further  effusion  of.  blood,  which  must  otherwise  be 
shed  to  a  frightful  extent,  feeling  myself  fully  able  to  main 
tain  my  position  for  a  yet  indefinite  period.  This  commu- 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  177 

nication  will  be  handed  you,  under  flag  of  truce,  by  Major- 
Gen  era!  James  Bo  wen. 

"Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"J.  C.  PEMBERTON." 

Great  was  the  joy  of  Grant,  for  he  saw  in  this  brief  epistle 
the  end  of  all  his  toils  and  labors;  yet  those  who  looked  in 
that  calm,. quiet  face  saw  no  indication  of  the  great  joy  that 
was  swelling  his  heart  nigh  to  bursting.  Turning  to  his 

desk,  Grant  wrote  • 

» 

"  HEAD-QUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  TENNESSEE, 

"Ix  THE  FIELD,  NEAR  VICKSBURG,  July  ^,  1863. 
"Lieutenant-GcneralJ.  C.  Pcmberton,  commanding  Confederate  forces,  etc.: 

"GENERAL:  Your  note  of  this  date,  just  received,  pro 
poses  an  armistice  of  several  hours,  for  the  purpose  of 
arranging  terms  of  capitulation  through  commissioners  to  be 
appointed,  etc.  The  effusion  of  blood  you  propose  stopping 
by  this  course,  can  be  ended  at  any  time  you  may  choose, 
by  an  unconditional  surrender  of  the  city  and  garrison.  Men 
who  have  shown  so  much  endurance  and  courage  as  those 
now  in  Vicksburg,  will  always  challenge  the  respect  of  an 
adversary,  and  1  can  assure  you  will  be  treated  with  all  the 
respect  due  them  as  prisoners  of  war.  I  do  not  favor  the 
proposition  of  appointing  commjssioners  to  arrange  terms 
of  capitulation,  because  I  have  no  other  terms  than  those  indi 
cated  above.  I  am,  General,  very  respectfully,  your  obe 
dient  servant, 

"U.  S.  GRANT,  Major- General" 

Folding  up  the  letter,  he  handed  it  to  an  officer,  with 
the  instructions  that  the  rebel  soldiers  should  bear  it  to 
their  chief.  General  Bowen,  who  was  anxious  to  put  an 
end  to  the  slaughter  and  suffering  of  the  garrison,  requested 
permission  to  speak  with  General  Grant  about  the  surren- 
12 


178  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

der,  but  Grant  declined  to  hold  any  converse  with  him  on 
that  subject.  Blindfolded,  the  rebel  officers  were  conducted 
from  the  Union  camp,  where  they  were  set  at  liberty,  and 
were  speedily  within  their  own  camp  and  in  the  presence 
of  their  brave  but  disconsolate  General.  Before  leaving 
Grant,  the  rebel  officers  had  made  a  proposition  that  the 
two  Generals  should  meet  between  the  lines  and  personally 
arrange  the  terms  of  capitulation.  To  this  Grant  had 
promptly  agreed,  and  said  "If  Pemberton  wished  to  surren 
der,  he  would  see  him  that  afternoon,  at  three  o'clock,  in 
front  of  McPherson's  works." 

Pemberton  immediately  sent  word  to  Grant  to  be  at  the 
front  of  McPherson's  works  at  the  time  named,  and  he 
would  meet  him  there.  Keiin  thus  describes  the  meeting 

o 

between  the  two  army  commanders: 

"  At  three  o'clock  precisely,  one  gun,  the  prearranged 
signal,  was  fired,  and  immediately  replied  to  by  the  enemy. 
General  Pemberton  then  made  his  appearance  on  the  works 
in  McPherson's  front,  under  a  white  flag,  considerably  on 
the  left  of  what  is  known  as  Fort  Hill.  General  Grant 
rode  through  our  trenches  until  he  come  to  an  outlet,  lead 
ing  to  a  small  green  space,  which  had  not  been  trod  by 
either  army.  Here  he  dismounted,  and  advanced  to  meet 
General  Pemberton,  with  whom  he  shook  hands,  and  greeted 
familiarly. 

"  It  was  beneath  the  outspreading  branches  of  a  gigantic 
oak  that  the  conference  of  the  generals  took  place.  Here 
presented  the  only  space  which  had  not  been  used  for  some 
purpose  or  other  by  the  contending  armies.  The  ground 
was  covered  with  a  fresh,  luxuriant  verdure;  here  and  there 
a  shrub  or  clump  of  bushes  could  be  seen  standing  out 
from  the  green  growth  on  the  surface,  while  several  oaks 
filled  up  the  scene,  and  gave  it  character.  Some  of  the 
trees  in  their  tops  exhibited  the  effects  of  flying  projectiles, 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  170 

by  the  loss  of  limbs  or  torn  foliage,  and  in  their  trunks  the 
indentations  of  smaller  missiles  plainly  marked  the  occur 
rences  to  which  they  had  been  silent  witnesses.'* 

The  party  made  up  to  take  part  in  the  conference  was 
composed  as  follows : 

UNITED    STATES    OFFICERS. 
Major-General  U.  S.  Grant. 
Major-General  James  B.  McPherson. 
Brigadier-General  A.  J.  Smith. 

REBEL    OFFICERS. 

Lieutenant-General  John  C.  Pemberton. 

Major-General  Bowen. 

Colonel  Montgomery,  A.  A.  G.  to  General  Pemberton. 

When  Generals  Grant  and  Pemberton  met  they  shook 
hands,  Colonel  Montgomery  introducing  the  party.  A  short 
silence  ensued,  at  the  expiration  of  which  General  Pember 
ton  remarked: 

"  General  Grant,  I  meet  you  in  order  to  arrange  terms 
for  the  capitulation  of  the  city  of  Vicksburg  and  its  garrison. 
What  terms  do  you  demand?" 

"  Unconditional  surrender"  replied  General  Grant. 

"Unconditional  surrender?"  said  Pemberton.  "Never, 
so  long  as  I  have  a  man  left  me !  I  will  fight  rather." 

"  Then,  sir,  you  can  continue  the  defense,"  coolly  said 
General  Grant.  "My  army  has  never  been  in  a  letter  condi 
tion  for  the  prosecution  of  the  siege." 

During  the  passing  of  these  few  preliminaries,  General 
Pemberton  was  greatly  agitated,  quaking  from  head  to  foot, 
while  General  Grant  experienced  all  his  natural  self- 
possession,  and  evinced  not  the  least  sign  of  embarrassment. 

After  a  short  conversation  standing,  by  a  kind  of  mutual 
tendency,  the  two  Generals  wandered  off  from  the  rest  of 
the  party  and  seated  themselves  on  the  grass,  in  a  cluster 


180  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

of  bushes,  where  they  talked  over  the  important  events  then 
pending.  General  Grant  could  be  seen,  even  at  that  dis 
tance,  talking  coolly,  occasionally  giving  a  few  puffs  at  his 
favorite  companion — his  black  cigar.  General  McPherson, 
General  A.  J.  Smith,  General  Bowen,  and  Colonel  Mont 
gomery,  imitating  the  example  of  the  commanding  generals, 
seated  themselves  at  some  distance  off,  while  the  respective 
staffs  of  the  generals  formed  another  and  larger  group  in 
the  rear.  % 

After  a  lengthy  conversation  the  generals  separated.  Gen 
eral  Pemberton  did  not  come  to  any  conclusion  on  the 
matter,  but  stated  his  intention  to  submit  the  matter  to  a 
council  of  general  officers  of  his  command  ;  and,  in  the  event 
of  their  assent,  the  surrender  of  the  city  should  be  made  in 
the  morning.  Until  morning  was  given  him  to  consider,  to 
determine  upon  the  matter,  and  send  in  his  final  reply.  The 
generals  now  rode  to  their  respective  quarters. 

During  this  memorable  interview,  the  characters  of  the  two 
men  were  plainly  indicated  by  their  personal  conduct.  Pem 
berton  was  restless,  impulsive,  and  bitter,  his  stormy  and 
irascible  spirit  at  times  breaking  forth  in  angry  words.  Grant 
was  calm,  cool,  and  deliberative,  puffing  his  cigar,  and  talking 
as  casually  as  if  Pemberton  were  an  acquaintance  he  had 
chanced  to  meet  on  the  road-side,  and  had  only  stopped  to 
pass  the  time  of  day  and  compliments  of  the  season.  The 
great  oak  tree  under  which  the  two  generals  sat  during  this 
interview  has  long  ago  disappeared,  (having  been  cut  up 
into  canes,)  and  on  the  spot  stands  a  beautiful  monument, 
with  this  inscription  on  its  base:  "To  the  memory  of  the 
surrender  of  Vicksburg,  by  Lieutenant-General  J.  C.  Pem 
berton  to  Major-General  U.  S.  Grant,  U.  S.  A.,  on  the  3d 
of  July,  1863." 

General  Grant,  having  conferred  at  his  head-quarters  with 
his  corps  and  division  commanders,  sent  the  following  letter 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  181 

to  General  Pemberton,  by  the  hands  of  General  Logan  and 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Wilson  : 

"  HEAD-QUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  TENNESSEE, 

"NEAR  VICKSBURG,  July  3,  1863. 
"  Lieutenant-General   J.    C.    Pemberton,  commanding  Confederate  forces, 


"GENERAL:  In  conformity  with  the  agreement  of  this  af 
ternoon,  I  will  submit  the  following  proposition  for  the  sur 
render  of  the  city  of  Vicksburg,  public  stores,  etc.  On  your 
accepting  the  terms  proposed,  I  will  march  in  one  division, 
as  a  guard,  and  take  possession  at  eight  o'clock  to-morrow 
morning.  As  soon  as  paroles  can  be  made  out  and  signed 
by  the  officers  and  men,  you  will  be  allowed  to  march  out 
of  our  lines,  the  officers  taking  with  them  their  regimental 
clothing,  and  staff,  field  and  cavalry  officers  one  horse  each. 
The  rank  and  file  will  be  allowed  all  their  clothing,  but  no 
other  property. 

"If  these  conditions  are  accepted,  any  amount  of  rations 
you  may  deem  necessary  can  be  taken  from  the  stores  you 
now  have,  and  also  the  necessary  cooking  utensils  for  pre 
paring  them;  thirty  wagons  also,  counting  two  two-horse 
or  mule  teams  as  one.  You  will  be  allowed  to  transport 
such  articles  as  can  not  be  carried  along.  The  same  con 
ditions  will  be  allowed  to  all  sick  and  wounded  officers  and 
privates  as  fast  as  they  become  able  to  travel.  The  pa 
roles  for  these  latter  must  be  signed,  however,  while  officers 
are  present,  authorized  to  sign  the  roll  of  the  prisoners. 
"I  am,  General,  very  respectfully, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"U.  S.  GRANT,  Major-General" 

This  communication  was  sent  by  Grant  late  in  the  even 
ing,  but  before  daylight  a  rebel  messenger  brought  him 
the  following  reply  : 


LIFE    OF    UUAXT. 

"HEAD-QUARTERS,  VICKSBURG,  July  3,  1863. 
u Mojor-Gcneral  Gi'ctnt,  commanding  United  States  forces  ' 

"  GENERAL :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt 
of  your  communication  of  this  date  proposing  terms  for  the 
surrender  of  this  garrison  and  post.  In  the  main,  your 
terms  are  accepted ;  but,  in  justice  both  to  the  honor  and 
spirit  of  my  troops,  manifested  in  the  defense  of  Vickshurg, 
I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  amendments,  which, 
if  acceded  to  by  you,  will  perfect  the  agreement  between 
us.  At  ten  o'clock  to-morrow,  I  propose  to  evacuate  the 
works  in  and  around  Vicksburg,  and  to  surrender  the  city 
and  garrison,  under  my  command,  by  marching  out  with 
colors  and  arms  and  stacking  them  in  front  of  my  present 
limits,  after  which  you  will  take  possession  ;  officers  to  re 
tain  their  side-arms  and  personal  property,  and  the  rights 
and  property  of  citizens  to  be  respected. 

"I  am,  General,  yours,  very  respectfully, 

"J.  C.  PEMBERTON,  Lieutenant- General." 

Grant,  willing  to  gratify  the  vanity  of  his  rebel  foes,  in 
not  getting  up  a  scene  of  surrender,  at  once  replied : 

"HEAD-QUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  TENNESSEE,  } 
':  BEFORE  VICKSBURG,  July  4,  1863.      } 
"Lieutenant-General  Pemlerton,  commanding  forces  in  Vicksburg: 

"GENERAL:  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  your  com 
munication,  of  the  3d  of  July.  The  amendments  proposed 
by  you  can  not  be  acceded  to  in  full.  It  will  be  necessary 
to  furnish  every  officer  and  man  with  a  parole  signed  by 
himself,  which,  with  the  completion  of  the  rolls  of  prison 
ers,  will  necessarily  take  some  time.  Again  :  I  can  make 
no  stipulation  with  regard  to  the  treatment  of  citizens  and 
their  private  property.  While  I  do  not  propose  to  cause  any 
of  them  any  iindue  annoyance  or  loss,  I  can  not  consent  to 


LIFE   OF   GRANT.  183 

leave  myself  under  restraint  by  stipulations.  The  property 
which  officers  can  be  allowed  to  take  with  them  will  be  as 
stated  in  the  proposition  of  last  evening — that  is,  that  offi 
cers  will  be  allowed  their  'private  baggage  and  side-arms,  and 
mounted  officers  one  horse  each.  If  you  mean,  by  your  prep 
osition,  for  each  brigade  to  march  to  the  front  of  the  lines  now 
occupied  by  it  and  stack  their  arms,  at  ten  o'clock  A.  M.,  and 
then  return  to  the  inside  and  remain  as  prisoners  until  prop 
erly  paroled,  I  will  make  no  objection  to  it.  Should  no  mod 
ifications  be  made  of  your  acceptance  of  my  terms  by  nine 
o'clock  A.  M.,  I  shall  regard  them  as  having  been  rejected, 
and  act  accordingly.  Should  these  terms  be  accepted,  white 
flags  will  be  displayed  along  your  lines,  to  prevent  such  of 
my  troops  as  may  not  have  been  notified  from  firing  on  your 

men. 

"I  am,  General,  very  respectfully, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 
"U.  S.  GRANT,  Major-General  U.  S.  A" 

Pemberton  hastily  sent  the  following  brief  dispatch,  and 
the  preliminaries  of  one  of  the  greatest  surrenders  the  world 
ever  witnessed  was  completed : 

"HEAD-QUARTERS,  YICKSBURG,  July  4,  1863. 
"Major-General  U.  S.  Grant,  commanding  United  States  forces,  etc.  : 

u GENERAL:  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt 
'  of  your  communication  of  this  date,  and,  in  reply,  to  say 
that  the  terms  proposed  by  you  are  accepted. 
"Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"J.  C.  PEMBERTON,  Lieutenant- General" 

According  to  agreement,  the  last  of  the  rebel  regiments, 
having  marched  out,  stacked  their  arms,  and  returned  within 
the  fortifications.  There  was  nothing  now  to  do  but  for  the 
Union  forces  to  march  in  and  take  possession  of  the  city, 


184  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

men,  and  property.  It  is  said  that  some  of  the  old  rebel 
veterans,  as  they  gave  up  their  arms  and  colors,  shed  tears 
of  regret,  and  that  Grant's  men,  who  were  looking  on,  were 
silent  and  respectful,  having  great  admiration  for  the  brav 
ery  with  which  these  misguided  men  had  defended  their 
city.  ^ 

Keim  thus  describes  the  entrance  of  the  Union  troops 
into  Yicksburg  : 

u  It  was  about  one  o'clock  P.  M.,  before  matters  had 
assumed  such  a  stage  of  completion  as  would  admit  of  the 
entrance  of  the  city  by  our  troops.  A  slight  further  de 
tention  was  also  occasioned  awaiting  the  pioneer  corps, 
thrown  out  in  advance,  to  open  a  passage  through  the 
breastworks  and  across  the  ditches  and  rifle-pits  of  the 
enemy.  After  this  was  finished,  no  further  obstructions 
presented  themselves,  and  the  column  moved  forward.  The 
order  of  march  was  by  a  seniority  of  brigade  commanders, 
with  an  exception  in  the  case  of  the  Forty-fifth  Illinois  In 
fantry,  Colonel  J.  A.  Maltby,  which  was  specially  ordered  to 
lead  the  column,  in  consequence  of  heroic  conduct  during  the 
siege  and  operations  in  the  campaign  against  Vicksburg." 

At  the  head  of  the  troops  rode  General  U.  S.  Grant,  puff 
ing  the  always-present  black  cigar,  and  then  followed  his 
numerous  and  brilliant  staff.  Next  came — 

Major-General  J.  B.  McPherson  and  staff. 

Major-General  J.  A.  Logan  and  staff. 

Brigadier-General  M.  D.  Leggett,  First  Brigade,  Third 
Division,  led  by  the  Forty-fifth  Illinois  Infantry. 

Brigadier-General  Z.  E.  G.  Ransom,  First  Brigade,  Sev 
enth  Division,  temporarily  assigned  to  Logan. 

Brigadier-General  John  Stevenson,  Second  Brigade,  Third 
Division;  and  with  each  brigade  its  batteries,  baggage-train, 
etc. 

The  division  of  General  John  E.  Smith,  though  part  of 


LIFE   OF    GRANT.  185 

the  Seventeenth  Army  Corps  which  was  designated  by  Gen 
eral  Grant  to  occupy  the  city,  was  held  outside  of  the  works, 
as  a  kind  of  outer  line  of  guards,  to  prevent  the  escape  of 
prisoners. 

After  passing  through  several  inner  lines  of  the  rifle-pits 
and  breastworks,  the  column  of  occupation  penetrated  the 
suburbs  of  the  city,  and  marched  through  its  principal  streets 
to  the  court-house.  As  might  be  expected,  from  the  long 
schooling  the  city  had  received  under  the  influence  of  the 
secession  conspirators,  no  demonstrations  of  satisfaction  at 
our  arrival  were  made  along  the  line  of  march ;  but  on  the 
contrary,  houses  were  closed,  the  citizens  within  doors,  and 
the  city  was  wrapped  in  gloom.  It  seems  as  if  the  pop 
ulation  anticipated  their  next  step  would  be  into  the 
grave. 

Upon  arriving  at  the  court-house,  the  troops  were  drawn 
up  in  line,  facing  the  building.  This  done,  the  ceremony  of 
possession  was  completed  by  the  display  of  the  flags  of  the 
Forty-fifth  Illinois  Infantry,  and  of  the  head-quarters  of 
the  Seventeenth  Corps,  from  the  dome  of  the  court-house. 

Upon  the  appearance  of  the  flags,  the  troops  cheered  vo 
ciferously,  making  the  city  ring  to  its  very  suburbs  with 
shouts  of  the  votaries  of  liberty.  It  was  an  occasion  which 
few  ever  have  the  opportunity  of  witnessing,  and  one  which 
will  secure  a  life-long  remembrance  in  the  minds  of  all 
present. 

In  consideration  of  the  active  part  taken  by  the  Seven 
teenth  Corps  in  the  campaign  which  consummated  in  the 
capture  of  Vicksburg,  that  command  was  designated  by 
General  Grant  to  take  possession  of  the  city.  General 
Logan's  division  occupied  writhin  the  works,  while  General 
John  E.  Smith  held  the  Union  works  without.  General 
Me  Arthur  continued  with  General  Sherman's  army  in  its 
operations  against  Johnston. 


188  LIFK    OF    GRANT. 

In  view  of  General  Grant's  plans,  Major-General  McPher- 
son  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  new  district  about 
to  be  formed,  and  having  Vicksburg  for  its  center. 

Major-General  Logan  commanded  the  city  and  its  en 
virons. 

The  provost-marshal's  department  was  placed  in  charge 
of  Lieutenant-Colonel  James  Wilson,  provost-marshal  of 
the  corps — provost-guard,  Forty-fifth  Illinois  Infantry. 

The  vessels  in  the  river  were  soon  in  motion,  and  but  an 
hour  or  two  elapsed  ere  seventy  steamers  or  barges  lined 
the  levee,  and  the  city  suddenly  emerged  from  the  death 
of  rebellion  to  life  and  activity. 

Grant,  making  his  way  through  the  rebel  soldiers,  who 
gazed  in  silence  and  wonder  at  their  conqueror,  rode  at 
once  to  the  head-quarters  of  General  Pemberton.  There 
was  no  one  to  receive  him.  He  dismounted,  and  entered 
the  porch.  General  Pemberton  sat  there  with  his  staff. 
These  men  then  very  conspicuously  developed  their  novel 
ideas  of  "  chivalry."  Though  each  one  wore  his  sword, 
through  the  generosity  of  General  Grant,  not  one  rose,  in 
courteous  greeting  of  the  valiant  and  magnanimous  soldier. 
Pemberton  was  especially  sullen  and  discourteous. 

The  day  was  hot,  and  the  trampling  of  the  armies  had 
filled  the  air  with  clouds  of  dust.  General  Grant,  heated 
and  thirsty,  asked  for  a  glass  of  water.  He  was  brusquely 
told  that  he  could  find  it  inside.  He  groped  his  way 
through  the  passages  till  he  found  a  negro  who  gave  him  a 
cup  of  water.  Returning,  he  found  no  seat,  and  remained 
standing  in  the  presence  of  his  vanquished  foes,  who  were 
seated,  during  an  interview  of  half  an  hour. 

It  is  said  that  this  surrender  was  the  most  important 
recorded  in  the  annals  of  war.  At  the  capitulation  of  Ulrn, 
hitherto  considered  without  a  parallel,  thirty  thousand  pris 
oners  were  surrendered,  and  sixty  pieces  of  cannon.  Thirty- 


Lin:  or  GRANT.  187 

four  thousand  six  hundred  men  surrendered  at  Vicksburg, 
with  two  hundred  and  eighteen  cannon. 

The  following  table  will  give  the  reader  a  more  definite 
idea  of  the  value  of  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg :  Lieu- 
tenant-General  J.  C.  Pemberton,  Major-General  Bowen, 
Major-General  Martin  L.  Smith,  Major-General  Forney, 
Brigadier-Generals  Barton,  Cochran,  Lee,  Vaughn,  Rey 
nolds,  Baldwin,  Harris,  Taylor,  Cummings,  Stevenson,  Ileb- 
art,  Wall,  Moore,  SchopF,  Buford,  and  Cockrell. 

Total  generals 20 

Field,  staff,  and  line  officers 4,600 

Non-commissioned  officers  and  privates 30,000 

Total,  without  regard  to  rank 34,620 

KILLED,   WOUNDED,  AND  STRAGGLERS. 

Killed  in  battles  and  skirmishes 1,000 

Wounded  in  battles  and  skirmishes 4,000 

Captured  in  hospitals  in  Vicksburg  and  elsewhere 6,000 

Stragglers,  including  men  cut  off  and  unable  to  rejoin  their 

commands....  800 


Total., 


RECAPITULATION. 

Total  prisoners 34,620 

Killed,  wounded,  and  in  hospital 11,000 

Stragglers,  etc 800 

Making  a  loss  to  the  enemy,  in  sixty-five  days,  of. 46,420 

The  following  table  also  shows  the  losses  of  material  sus 
tained  by  the  enemy  during  the  same  length  of  time : 

FIELD  ARTILLERY.  PIECES. 

Captured  in  battle 83 

At  Vicksburg 123 

Total...  211 


188  LIFE    OF    OllAXT. 

SIEGE  ARTILLERY. 

At  Vicksburg 90 

CAPTURED  SMALL  ARMS. 

In  battle 10,000 

At  Vicksburg 35,000 


Total 45,000 

RECAPITULATION. 

Artillery  captured 301 

Muskets  and  rifles...., 45,000 

Besides  this,  a  number  of  field-pieces  and  siege-guns 
were  destroyed  at  Jackson,  Haines'  and  Snyder's  Bluffs, 
which  are  not  included  in  the  above  estimate,  and,  also, 
immense  quantities  of  powder,  ball,  shells,  tools,  machinery, 
and  great  numbers  of  wagons,  wood-wheels,  and  castings. 

General  Grant,  in  his  official  report,  sums  up  the  Union 
losses,  during  the  series  of  battles  of  the  Vicksburg  cam 
paign,  as  follows: 

KILLED.  WOUNDKI).  MISSING.        TOTAL. 

Port  Gibson 130  718  5  853 

Fourteen-Mile  Creek  (skirmish).     4  24            28 

Raymond 69  341  32  442 

Jackson 40  240  6  286 

Champion's  Hill 426  a  ,842  189  2,457 

Big  Black  Railroad  Bridge 29  242  2  273 

Vicksburg 245  3,688  302  4,236 

Grand  total ...943          7,095 

GENERAL  RECAPITULATION. 

Rebel  losses  in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners.. 
Union  losses  in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners. 


Balance  in  favor  of  Grant 37,845 


The  President,  who  had  long  been  importuned  to  relieve 
General  Grant,  at   length   agreed   to  do  so,  and   had   sent 


LIFE   OF   GRANT.  189 

out  Adjutant-General  Thomas  with  instructions  to  investi 
gate  certain  charges  made  against  Grant  at  the  national 
capitol,  and  if  he  found  them  as  alleged,  to  remove  him  at 
once.  General  Thomas,  however,  on  reaching  Milliken's 
Bend,  with  great  good  sense  and  judgment,  kept  the  Presi 
dent's  order  in  his  pocket,  and  sustained  Grant  fully  in  his 
report. 

Several  gentlemen  were  near  the  President  at  the  time 
he  received  the  news  of  Grant's  success,  some  of  whom  had 
been  complaining  of  the  rumors  of  his  habit  of  using  intoxi 
cating  drinks  to  excess. 

"So  I  understand  Grant  drinks  whisky  to  excess?"  in 
terrogatively  remarked  the  President. 

"Yes,"  was  the  reply. 

"What  whisky  does  he  drink?"  inquired  Mr.  Lincoln. 

"What  whisky?"  doubtfully  queried  his  hearers. 

"Yes.     Is  it  Bourbon  or  Monongahela?" 

"Why  do  you  ask,  Mr.  President?" 

"Because,  if  it  makes  him  win  victories  like  this  at  Yicks- 
burg,  I  will  send  a  demijohn  of  the  same  kind  to  every  gen 
eral  in  the  army." 

His  visitors  saw  the  point,  although  at  their  own  cost. 

The  good-hearted  President,  conscious  he  had  uninten 
tionally  done  Grant  great  injustice,  then  sat  down  and  wrote 
him  the  following  frank  and  manly  letter : 

"EXECUTIVE  MANSION,  WASHINGTON,  July  13,  18G3. 
"To  Major- General  Grant: 

"Mr  DEAR  GENERAL:  I  do  not  remember  that  you  and 
I  ever  met  personally.  I  write  this  now  as  a  grateful  ac 
knowledgment  for  the  almost  inestimable  service  you  have 
done  the  country.  I  wish  to  say  a  word  further.  When 
you  first  reached  the  vicinity  of  Yicksburg,  I  thought  you 
should  do  what  you  finally  did — march  the  troops  across 
the  neck,  run  the  batteries  with  the  transports,  and  thus  go 


190  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

below;  and  I  never  had  any  faith,  except  a  general  hope 
that  you  knew  better  than  I,  that  the  Yazoo  Pass  expedi 
tion,  and  *the  like,  could  succeed.  When  you  got  below 
and  took  Port  Gibson,  Grand  Gulf,  and  vicinity,  I  thought 
you  should  go  down  the  river  and  join  General  Banks ; 
and  when  you  turned  northward,  east  of  the  Big  Black,  I 
feared  it  was  a  mistake.  I  now  wish  to  make  a  personal 
acknowledgment  that  you  were  right  and  I  was  wrong. 

"  Yours,  very  truly, 

"  A.  LINCOLN." 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  191 


CHAPTER    XI. 

PREPARATIONS    TO    ATTACK    JOHNSTON — SURRENDER   OF  PORT   HUDSON — IN 
VESTMENT    OF    JACKSON — JEFF.    DAVIS*    LIBRARY — JOHNSTON'S    ADDRESS 

TO     HIS    ARMY — RETREAT    OF     THE     REBELS GRANT     AND     THE      REBEL 

MAJOR — HIS    TREATMENT    OF    SUBORDINATE    OFFICERS FRIENDSHIP    BE 
TWEEN     GRANT     AND     SHERMAN MRS.     GRANT    VISITS    HER    HUSBAND — 

ANECDOTE   OF  MRS.  GRANT GRANT  AND  HIS  SOLDIERS ADMINISTRATIVE 

ABILITY    OF  GRANT — HONORS   TO  GRANT   AT   MEMPHIS — REVIEW   AT   NEW 
ORLEANS — TERRIBLE   ACCIDENT  TO  GRANT — HE  IS  APPOINTED   TO  A   NEW 

COMMAND VISITS  LOUISVILLE HIS  NEW  ARMY  AND  GENERALS BRAGG'S 

FORCES THE  CHATTANOOGA  CAMPAIGN. 

No  sooner  had  General  Pemberton  signified  his  intention 
of  surrendering  Vicksburg,  than  General  Grant  began  pre 
parations  for  new  military  movements.  He  wrote  at  once 
to  Sherman  : 

"  There  is  little  doubt  but  that  the  enemy  will  surrender 
to-night  or  in  the  morning.  Make  your  calculations  to  attack 
Johnston,  and  destroy  the  road  north  of  Jackson." 

He  also  wrote  to  Steele  and  Ord : 

"  I  want  Johnston  broken  up  as  effectually  as  possible. 
You  can  make  your  own  arrangements,  and  have  all  the 
troops  of  my  command,  except  one  corps." 

In  another  letter,  on  the  4th  of  July,  written  to  his  gen 
erals,  Grant  said : 

"-Drive  Johnston  from  the  Mississippi  Central  Railroad. 
Destroy  the  bridges  as  far  north  as  Grenada,  with  your  cav 
alry,  and  do  the  enemy  all  the  harm  possible.  I  will  support 
you  to  the  last  man  that  can  be  spared." 


102  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

One  of  the  good  results  of  the  fall  of  Vicksburg  was  the 
immediate  surrender  of  Port  Hudson.  The  news  was  first 
communicated  to  the  rebels  by  our  troops,  who  shouted  across 
the  lines:  "Vicksburg  is  taken,  Johnny,  and  Grant  is  coming 
down  the  river."  No  sooner  did  the  startling  intelligence 
reach  the  rebel  commander  in  his  head-quarters,  than  he  ad 
dressed  the  following  letter  to  General  Banks,  who  com 
manded  the  besieging  forces: 
; .  ^" ' 

"HEAD-QUARTERS  PORT  HUDSON,  LA.,  July  7,  1863. 
"To  Major- General  Banks,  commanding  U.  tS.  forces  near  Port  Hudson  : 

"  GENERAL  :  Having  received  information  from  your  troops 
that  Vicksburg  lias  been  surrendered,  I  make  this  communi 
cation  to  ask  you  to  give  me  the  official  assurance  whether 
this  is  true  or  not,  and,  if  true,  I  ask  for  a  cessation  of  hos 
tilities,  with  a  view  to  the  consideration  of  terms  for  surren 
dering  this  position. 

"  I  am,  General,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  FRANK  GARDNER, 

"Major- General  commanding  Confederate  States  forces." 

;      '   :'.'    .ilO 

General  Banks,  early  the  next  morning,  replied  as  fol 
lows  : 

"HEAD-QUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  GULF,  ] 
".BEFORE  PORT  HUDSON,  July  8,  1803.      ) 

"To  'Major-General  Frank  Gardner,  commanding  Confederate  States  forces, 
Port  Hudson : 

"  GENERAL  :  In  reply  to  your  communication,  dated  tho 
7th  instant,  by  flag  of  truce  received  a  few  moments  since, 
I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  I  received  yesterday 
morning,  July  7th,  at  forty-five  minutes  past  ten  o'clock,  by 
the  gunboat  General  Price,  an  official  dispatch  from  Major- 
General  Ulysses  S.  Grant,  United  States  Army,  whereof  the 
following  is  a  true  extract : 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  193 

"  I  regret  to  say  that,  under  present  circumstances,  I  can 
not,  consistently  with  my  duty,  consent  to  a  cessation  of  hos 
tilities  for  the  purpose  you  indicate. 

"Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"N.  P.  BANKS,  Major- General  commanding. 

" '  HEAD-QUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  TENNESSEE,  ) 

"  'NEAR  YICKSBURC,  July  4,  1863.      ) 

li  * M&joT-Generai  N.  P.  Banks)  commanding  Department  of  the  Gulf : 

"  '  GENERAL  :  The  garrison  of  Vicksburg  surrendered  this 
morning.  The  number  of  prisoners,  as  given  by  the  officers, 
is  twenty-seven  thousand  ;  field  artillery,  one  hundred  and 
twenty-eight  pieces ;  and  a  large  number  of  siege-guns, 
probably  not  less  than  eighty.  Your  obedient  servant, 

"'U.  S.  GRANT,  Major-General.'" 

The  rebel  commandant  immediately  dispatched  the  follow^- 
ing  communication  to  General  Banks : 

"PORT  HUDSON,  July  8,  18G3. 
"Jb  Major-General  Banks,  commanding  United  States  forces  •' 

"  GENERAL  :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt 
of  your  communication  of  this  date,  giving  a  copy  of  an 
official  communication  from  Major-General  U.  S.  Grant, 
United  States  Army,  announcing  the  surrender  of  the  garrison 
of  Vicksburg. 

"Having  defended  this  position  as  long  as  I  deem  my  duty 
requires,  I  am  willing  to  surrender  to  you,  and  will  appoint  a 
commission  of  three  officers,  to  meet  a  similar  commission 
appointed  by  yourself,  at  nine  o'clock  this  .morning,  for  the 
purpose  of  agreeing  upon  and  drawing  up  the  terms  of  sur 
render,  and  for  that  purpose  I  ask  a  cessation  of  hostilities. 
Will  you  please  designate  a  point  outside  of  my  breastworks, 
where  the  meeting  shall  be  held  for  this  purpose  ? 
"I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"FRANK  GARDNER, 

"Commanding  Confederate  States  forces" 

13 


104  LIFE   OF   GRANT. 

General  Banks  replied  at  once  in  the  following  language : 

"  HEAD-QUARTERS  UNITED  STATES  FORCES,         i 
"BEFORE  PORT  HUDSON,  July  8,  1863.  j 

"  To  Maj or- Cencral  Frank  Gardner,  commanding  Confederate  States  forces, 
Port  Hudson : 

"  GENERAL  :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt 
of  your  communication  of  this  date,  stating  that  you  are 
willing  to  surrender  the  garrison  under  your  command  to 
the  forces  under  my  command,  and  that  you  will  appoint  a 
commission  of  three  officers,  to  meet  a  similar  commission 
appointed  by  me,  at  nine  o'clock  this  morning,  for  the  pur 
pose  of  agreeing  upon  and  drawing  up  the  terms  of  surren 
der. 

"  In  reply,  I  have  the  honor  to  state  that  I  have  designated 
Brigadier-General  Charles  P.  Stone,  Colonel  Henry  W.  Birge, 
and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Richard  B.  Irwin,  as  the  officers  to 
meet  the  commission  appointed  by  you. 

"  They  will  meet  your  officers,  at  the  hour  designated,  at  a 
point  where  the  flag  of  truce  was  received  this  morning.  I 
will  direct  that  active  hostilities  shall  entirely  cease  on  my 
part,  until  further  notice,  for  the  purpose  stated. 

"Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"N.  P.  BANKS,  Major-General  commanding." 

With  the  surrender  of  Port  Hudson,  there  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  Union  troops  one  major-general,  one  brigadier- 
general,  twenty  pieces  of  heavy  artillery,  five  field  batteries, 
numbering  thirty-one  pieces,  five  thousand  stand  of  small 
arms,  two  steamers,  and  an  immense  quantity  of  powder, 
shells,  anci  rifle-balls. 

The  glad  news  from  Yicksburg  and  Port  Hudson  coming 
at  the  same  time  the  nation  was  rejoicing  over  the  great 
victory  won  by  the  Union  arms  at  Gettysburg,  completely 
electrified  the  North,  and  the  people  were  filled  with  great  joy. 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  195 

Meantime,  General  Grant  was  marching  against  John 
ston  at  Jackson.  On  the  12th  of  July,  General  Sherman 
had  invested  the  city,  from  Pearl  River,  on  the  north,  to  the 
same  stream,  on  the  south  side.  Pearl  River  runs  through 
the  city,  and  Sherman,  by  his  investment,  had  cut  the  rail 
road,  and  shut  off  hundreds  of  cars  from  the  Confederacy. 

The  rebel  President's  library,  one  of  the  largest  in  the 
United  States,  was  also  captured.  Among  other  valuable 
documents  found  in  this  library,  were  many  letters  on  the 
subject  of  secession.  Some  of  these  letters  dated  back  as 
far  as  1852.  Many  of  the  more  prominent  writers  accepted 
the  separation  of  the  North  and  South  as  a  foregone  con 
clusion,  but  only  disagreed  how  and  when  it  should  be  done. 
Davis  is  alluded  to  as  the  political  Moses  in  this  measure, 
and  the  allusions  to  him  would  seem  as  if  he  were  looked 
upon  in  the  light  of  a  demi-god. 

Johnston,  finding  Sherman  was  about  to  attack  him, 
issued  the  following  blatant  proclamation  to  his  troops: 

" FELLOW-SOLDIERS:  An  insolent  foe,  flushed  with  hope 
by  his  recent  success  at  FicJcsburg,  confronts  you,  threatening 
the  people,  whose  homes  and  liberty  you  are  here  to  pro 
tect,  with  plunder  and  conquest.  Their  guns  may  even 
now  be  heard  as  they  advance. 

"  The  enemy  it  is  at  once  the  duty  and  the  mission  of  you, 
brave  men,  to  chastise  and  expel  from  the  soil  of  Mississippi. 
The  commanding  general  confidently  relics  on  you  to  sustain 
his  pledge,  which  he  makes  in  advance,  and  he  will  be  with 
you  in  the  good  work,  even  unto  the  end. 

"The  vice  of  'straggling5  he  begs  you  to  shun  and  to 
frown  on.  If  needs  be,  it  will  be  checked  by  even  the 
most  summary  remedies. 

"  The  telegraph  has  already  announced  a  glorious  victory 
over  the  foe,  won  by  your  noble  comrades  of  the  Virginia 


196  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

army  on  Federal  soil ;  may  he  not,  with  redoubled  hopes, 
count  on  you,  while  defending  your  firesides  and  household 
gods,  to  emulate  the  proud  example  of  your  brothers  in  tliQ 
East  ? 

"  The  country  expects  in  this,  the  great  crisis  of  its  des 
tiny,  that  every  man  will  do  his  duty. 

"JOSEPH  E.  JOHSSTOX,  Gen.  Com' ding." 

Having  said  this  much,  the  boasting  rebel  General  de 
camped,  retreating  in  the  direction  of  Meridian,  Sherman 
closely  following  "fighting  Joe  Johnston"  and  his  army. 
The  army  of  Johnston,  according  to  the  testimony  of  rebel 
prisoners,  was  numerically  as  strong  as  ours.  It  was 
composed  of  a  portion  of  Pemberton's  old  army,  and  re- 
enforcements  from  Bragg's  army,  and  detachments  from 
Mobile  and  Charleston,  S.  C.  In  it  were  the  divisions  of 
Generals  Breckinridge,  Loring,  Walker,  and  Gist,  besides 
thousands  of  home-guards  from  the  interior  of  Mississippi 
and  Alabama.  General  Gist  brought  ten  regiments  with 
him  from  South  Carolina,  many  of  them  of  the  "best  blood," 
as  a  prisoner  stated,  of  the  Palmetto  State,  whose  motto 
was,  "No  surrender."  What  a  sorry  failure  they  made  of  it. 

From  May  1st  up  to  the  capture  of  Jackson,  General 
Grant's  army  had  been  unremittingly  at  work.  They  had 
fought,  within  that  time,  seven  hotty-contested  battles,  at  the 
cost  of  many  a  gallant  life,  but  ivith  twofold  victory  to  our 
arms.  The  trophies  of  these  battles,  in  arms  and  prisoners, 
were  counted  by  thousands ;  but  the  crowning  event  of  the 
campaign  ivas  the  opening  of  the  Mississippi  Itiver.  The 
rebel  army  of  the  West  had  been  scattered  to  the  winds, 
and  those  not  killed  or  captured  were  fleeing  with  fright 
from  before  our  army  of  veterans. 

Grant  was  now  at  Vicksburg,  actively  engaged  in  organ 
izing  negro  regiments  and  setting  his  department  in  order. 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  197 

Finding  that  Yazoo  City  ivas  being  fortified,  lie  sent  General 
Herron  there  with  his  division.  He  captured  several  hun 
dred  prisoners  and  one  steamboat.  Five  pieces  of  heavy 
artillery  and  all  the  public  stores  fell  into  our  hands.  The' 
enemy  burned  three  steamboats  on  the  approach  of  the 
gunboats.  The  De  Kalb  was  blown  up  and  sunk  in  fifteen 
feet  of  water  by  the  explosion  of  a  torpedo.  Finding  that 
the  enemy  were  crossing  cattle  for  the  rebel  army  at 
Natchez,  and  were  said  to  have  several  thousand  there,  he 
sent  steamboats  and  troops  to  collect  them  and  destroy  all 
boats  and  means  for  making  more. 

Among  the  incidents  of  General  Grant's  occupation  of 
Vicksburg  is  the  following:  "A  major  in  the  rebel  army 
had  formerly  served  in  the  same  regiment  of  the  United 
States  army  with  Grant,  but  was  then  his  prisoner.  Grant 
treated  him  kindly,  invited  him  to  his  private  apartment, 
and  after  he  left,  gave  a  sketch  of  the  rebel's  former  life  to 
the  members  of  his  staff.  He  said,  that  when  the  rebel 
major  was  in  his  room  and  he  was  talking  to  him  about 
being  in  the  Confederate  service,  the  latter  replied,  "  Grant, 
I  tell  you,  I  ain't  much  of  a  rebel,  after  all,  and  when  I  am 
paroled,  I  will  let  the  d — d  service  go  to  the  mischief." 

One  of  Grant's  first  acts  after  a  great  victory  was  always 
to  acknowledge  the  services  of  his  troops,  and  the  aid  he 
had  received  from  subordinate  officers.  He  never  said 
anything  about  himself,  but  was  loud  in  the  praises  of  others. 
Thus  he  wrote  the  department,  after  the  fall  of  Vicksburg, 
asking  that  Sherman  and  McPherson  should  be  made  briga 
dier-generals  in  the  regular  army.  "The  first  reason  for 
this,"  he  said,  "  is  their  great  fitness  for  any  command  that  it 
may  ever  become  necessary  to  intrust  to  them.  Second,  their 
great  purity  of  character,  and  disinterestedness  in  any  thing 
except  the  faithful  performance  of  their  duty,  and  the  success 
of  every  one  engaged  in  the  great  battle  for  the  preservation 


198  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

of  the  Union.  Third,  they  have  honorably  won  this  distinc 
tion  upon  many  well-fought  battle-fields.  The  promotion  of 
such  men  as  Sherman  and  McPherson  always  adds  strength 
to  our  army." 

The  warm  personal  friendship  existing  between  Sherman 
and  Grant  during  the  latter  part  of  the  war  became  a  matter 
of  national  notoriety.  Few  persons  knew,  however,  that  from 
their  earliest  acquaintance,  these  two  great  commanders  ap 
preciated  and  liked  each  other.  The  following  personal 
letter,  written  by  Grant  to  Sherman  at  the  time  when  Sher 
man  was  marching  against  Johnston,  will,  in  this  connection, 
be  read  with  interest : 

"I  hope  you  will  be  in  time  to  aid  in  giving  the  rebels  the 
worst,  or  best,  thrashing  they  have  had  in  this  war.  I  have 
constantly  had  the  feeling  that  I  shall  lose  you  from  this 
command  entirely.  Of  course,  I  do  not  object  to  seeing 
your  sphere  of  usefulness  enlarged;  and  I  think  it  should 
have  been  enlarged  long  ago,  having  an  eye  to  the  public 
good  alone.  But  it  needs  no  assurance  from  me,  General, 
that,  taking  a  more  selfish  view,  while  I  would  heartily  ap 
prove  such  a  change,  I  would  deeply  regret  it  on  my  own 
account.  «U.  S.  GRANT." 

In  this  letter,  Grant  seems  to  have  foreseen  the  future 
career  of  his  brilliant  fellow-soldier,  and  while  he  wished  him 
joy  and  success,  he  could  not  but  regret  to  lose,  in  his  com 
mand,  the  services  of  so  valuable  an  officer. 

Grant  has  ever  displayed  greatness  of  soul  that  never 
yet  went  with  littleness  of  mind.  Who  has  said  as  much  as 
he  in  praise  of  Sheridan,  Sherman,  McPherson,  Thomas, 
Meade?  Remember  how  he  lay  with  his  gallant  army 
before  Petersburg,  in  the  fall  of  1864,  when  popular  impa 
tience  in  vain  goaded  him  to  attack,  when  the  press  and 
the  people  began  to  demand  his  dismissal,  and  to  stigmatize 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  199 

him  as  "the  butcher;"  how,  then,  when  Sheridan  won  his 
great  victories  in  the  Valley,  and  every  cap  went  up  for 
"  Little  Phil,"  Grant  capped  the  whole  by  telegraphing  that 
he  regarded  him  as  among  the  first  of  living  generals  ;  how, 
then,  when  Hood  invaded  Tennessee,  the  lieutenant-general 
gave  Thomas  all  the  men  he  could,  and  all  the  means,  and 
contributed  in  every  way  to  the  splendid  success  at  Nash 
ville,  yet  scrupulously  refrained  from  doing  any  thing  to  take 
the  glory  from  Thomas,  as  he  might  have  done  by  simply 
going  on  in  person;  how,  then,  when  Sherman  had  gone 

"From  the  center  all  round  to  the  sea," 

Grant  gave  him  a  brother's  welcome,  tenderly  covered  his 
sad  mistake  at  diplomacy,  and  presented  him  to  the  nation 
as  the  great  strategist  of  the  war. 

As  a  mark  of  their  aifection,  and  an  appreciation  of  his 
services  at  Vicksburg,  General  Grant's  brother  officers  pre 
sented  him  with  a  magnificent  sword.  The  scabbard  was  of 
solid  silver,  appropriately  and  most  beautifully  finished. 
The  handle  of  the  sword  represented  a  carved  figure  of  a 
young  giant,  crushing  the  rebellion,  and  was  most  elaborately 
designed.  The  box  in  which  it  was  placed  was  made  of 
rosewood,  bound  with  ivory,  and  lined  with  velvet  and  white 
satin.  On  the  interior  of  the  lid  the  name  of  General  Grant 
was  marked  with  crimson  silk.  The  whole,  in  design, 
execution,  and  intrinsic  value,  displayed  great  taste  on  the 
part  of  those  selected  to  carry  out  the  presentation. 

President  Lincoln  also  honored  the  victor  by  appointing 
him  to  the  vacant  major-generalship  in  the  regular  army  of 
the  United  States,  with  a  commission  dating  from  the  occu 
pation  of  Vicksburg,  July  4,  1863. 

General  Grant's  wife,  who  had  been  an  anxious  watcher 
of  his  military  movements  and  success,  now,  that  victory 
and  peace  were  secured  in  his  department,  left  her  home 


200  -'LIFE    OF    (JKANT. 

for  a  time  to  visit  her  husband,  at  tne  noted  place  which 
had  caused  him  so  much  labor  and  anxiety  to  gain  the 
possession  of,  and  the  reduction  of  which  had  made  his 
name  forever  famous  in  history.  While  at  St.  Louis,  she 
was,  in  honor  of  her  husband,  serenaded  by  a  fine  band, 
attended  by  an  immense  throng  of  civilians.  After  the 
music  had  ceased,  three  rousing  cheers  were  given  by  the 
crowd  for  General  Grant,  and  three  more  for  Mrs.  Grant, 
when  that  lady  appeared  at  the  window,  with  Brigadier-Gen 
eral  Strong  standing  by  her  side,  and  on  repeated  calls  for 
a  speech,  the  General,  in  behalf  of  Mrs.  Grant,  responded : 

"  GENTLEMEN  :  I  am  requested  by  Mrs.  Grant  to  express 
her  acknowledgment  for  the  honor  you  have  done  her  on 
this  occasion.  I  know  well  that,  in  tendering  her  thanks, 
I  express  your  sentiments,  when  I  say  the  compliment 
through  her  to  her  noble  husband  is  one  merited  by  a  brave 
and  great  mctn^  who  has  made  his  name  forever  honored  and 
immortal,  in  the  history  of  America's  illustrious  patriots, 
living  or  dead.  Mrs.  Grant  does  not  desire,  in  the  testimony 
you  have  offered,  that  you  should  forget  the  brave  and  gallant 
officers  and  soldiers,  who  have  so  largely  assisted  in  bringing 
about  the  glorious  result,  which  has  recently  caused  the  big 
heart  of  our  nation  to  leap  with  joy.  She  asks  you  also  to 
stop  and  drop  a  tear  over  the  graves  of  the  noble  dead  who 
have  fallen  in  the  struggle,  that  you  and  I,  and  all  of  us, 
might  enjoy  the  fruits  of  their  patriotic  devotion  to  a  coun 
try  second  to  none  on  the  earth.  •  We  trust  that  the  Missis 
sippi  forever  will  be  under  the  control  of  our  glorious 
country.  Mrs.  Grant  is  now  on  the  way  to  join  her  husband, 
who,  since  the  ^commencement  of  the  war,  has  not  asked  for 
one  day's  absence.  He  has  not  found  time  to  be  sick.  With 
these  remarks  she  bids  you  good-night,  and  begs  that  you 
accept  her  thousand  thanks." 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  201 

An  amusing  anecdote  is  told  of  Mrs.  Grant  about  this 
time.  One  day,  while  riding  in  the  cars,  a  young  officer,  in 
all  the  glory  of  a  span  new  second  lieutenant's  uniform, 
entered  the  train,  and  seeing  no  other  place  vacant,  seated 
himself  by  the  side  of  Mrs.  Grant.  He  at  once  began  talk 
ing  about  the  war,  and  presently  said : 

"  Madam,  this  war  is  a  sad  calamity,  indeed,  and  I  hope 
we  may  all  live  through  it." 

"I  hope  so,"  replied  the  lady. 

"As  you  perceive,  madam,  I  am  an  officer,  and  going  to 
the  front.  Pray,  have  you  any  friends  in  the  army  ?" 

"Yes,"  replied  the  lady,  "my  husband  is  a  soldier." 

"Indeed,  madam,"  said  the  lieutenant.  "I  hope  then  to 
meet  him.  Perhaps,  being  an  officer,  I  may  be  able  to  do 
him  a  service,  as  I  shall  likely  have  some  influence  with  my 
brother  officers,  and,  indeed,  with  the  affairs  of  the  army, 
for  I  am  well  connected.  What  is  your  husband's  name  ? " 

"Thank  you,"  replied  the  lady,  "but  I  doubt  if  you  can 
be  of  much  help  to  my  husband,"  and  then  she  modestly 
added,  "his  name  is  Ulysses  Grant." 

At  the  mention  of  that  name,  then  ringing  throughout  the 
land,  the  young  soldier  sprang  up,  and  hastily  excusing 
himself,  retired  to  another  part  of  the  car.  The  good 
woman  did  not  intend,  however,  to  drive  the  lieutenant  away, 
and  the  youthful  soldier  may  readily  be  pardoned  for  his 
vanity,  when  one  recollects  the  exhilarating  effects  of  a 
first  commission  in  the  army,  and  a  blue  and  gold  uniform. 

General  Grant,  who  had  been  a  most  rigid  disciplinarian 
as  long  as  the  danger  lasted,  now,  that  the  enemy  was 
beaten  and  his  department  safe,  became  a  most  liberal  and 
patronizing  commander.  All  his  sick  soldiers,  who  could 
stand  the  journey,  were  sent  home  to  their  friends  on 
furlough,  and  five  per  cent,  of  the  whole  army  was  fur- 
loughed  for  thirty  days.  The  men,  by  order  of  Grant, 


202  LIFE  OF   GRANT. 

were  paid  before  they  started,  so  as,  the  boys  said,  "to 
have  money  for  a  good  time  up  North,  and  to  drink  the 
General's  health  with  occasionally."  In  their  anxiety  to 
get  home,  the  soldiers  would  submit  to  any  imposition 
rather  than  be  detained,  and  the  steamboat  men  knowing 
they  had  plenty  of  money,  charged  enormous  fares.  One 
da.^&  it  came  to  the  ears  of  the  General  that  a  boat,  then  in 
port,  was  charging  as  much  as  twenty-five  dollars  to  carry 
soldiers  from  Yicksburg  to  Cairo.  Putting  on  his  hat,  the 
General  said:  "I  will  let  these  fellows  know  that  the  men 
who  have  periled  their  lives  to  open  the  Mississippi  River 
for  their  benefit,  can  not  be  imposed  upon  with  impunity." 
Going  on  the  boat,  he  ordered  the  captain  to  pay  back  the 
men  their  money,  and  then  told  him  he  could  carry  the 
soldiers  to  Cairo,  or  go  to  prison  and  have  his  boat  confis 
cated.  The  steamboat  man,  anxious  to  escape  from  the 
presence  of  the  terrible  general,  steamed  out  of  port,  while 
the  soldiers  crowded  upon  the  decks  and  cheered  again  and 
again  for  their  general,  who  stood  upon  the  shore  watching 
their  departure  and  puffing  his  black  cigar. 

Can  it  be  wondered  at,  ..with  such  evidence  of  their  Gen 
eral's  care,  the  soldiers  of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee 
should  fairly  worship  him  ? 

The  severity  of  General  Grant's  orders  may  be  inferred 
from  the  following  extract : 

"  Conduct  disgraceful  to  the  American  name  has  been  fre 
quently  reported  to  the  Major-General  commanding,  partic 
ularly  on  the  part  of  portions  of  the  cavalry.  Hereafter, 
if  the  guilty  parties  can  not  be  reached,  the  commanders  of 
regiments  and  detachments  will  be  held  responsible,  and  those 
wTho  prove  themselves  unequal  to  tUe  task  of  preserving  dis 
cipline  in  their  commands  will  be  promptly  reported  to  the 
War  Department  for  "  muster  out."  Summary  punishment 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  203 

must  be  inflicted  upon  all  officers  and  soldiers  apprehended 
in  acts  of  violence  or  lawlessness. 

"By  order  of  Major-General  U.  S.  GRANT. 

"T.  S.  BOWERS,  Acting  A.  A.  G." 

If  General  Grant  was  kind  to  his  soldiers,  and  -willing  to 
defend  them  against  all  persons  who  would  do  them  injus 
tice,  he  was  equally  determined  they  should  not  do  wrong 
to  others.  His  army  was 'always  in  a  fine  state  of  disci 
pline,  and  his  orders  promptly  obeyed,  because  his  soldiers 
knew  the  General  was  watching  them  and  would  know  how 
they  behaved,  and  whether  they  were  good  soldiers  or  not. 

Much  has  been  said  about  the  administrative  ability  of 
General  Grant,  and  a  good  many  people  have  feared  that, 
able  a  soldier  as  he  has  been,  he  might  not  make  a  good 
administrator  of  the  laws.  It  is  probably  not  generally 
known  that  the  first  paper  defining  and  fixing  the  status 
of  the  black  people,  after  they  were  set  free  by  the  proc 
lamation,  was  written  by  General  Grant.  So  just,  so  clear 
and  comprehensive  were  the  provisions  of  this  document, 
that  the  Government  adopted  its  doctrines  as  the  right  pol 
icy  to  be  pursued  toward  the  negroes,  and  it  has  never  been 
changed.  From  General  Grant's  order  also  grew  the  Freed- 
men's  Bureau,  and  an  examination  of  the  order  will  show 
that  every  provision  and  power  of  the  bureau  to-day  is  con 
tained  in  that  order,  so  clearly  did  the  illustrious  general, 
at  the  very  beginning,  comprehend  the  wants  and  necessi 
ties  of  the  black  people.  The  following  brief  extracts  are 
made  from  the  order  referred  to  above : 

"At  all  military  posts  in  States  within  this  department 
where  slavery  has  been  abolished  by  the  proclamation  of 
the  President  of  the  United  States,  camps  will  be  established 
for  such  freed  peoplemof  color  as  are  out  of  employment. 

"  Commanders   of  posts   or  districts  will  detail   suitable 


204  LIFE    OP    GRANT. 

officers  from  the  army  as  superintendents  of  such  camps. 
It  will  be  the  duty  of  such  superintendents  to  see  that  suit 
able  rations  are  drawn  from  the  Subsistence  Department  for 
such  people  as  are  confided  to  their  care. 

"All  suck  person*  supported  by  the  Government  will  be  em 
ployed  in  every  practicable  way,  so  as  to  avoid,  as  far  as  pos 
sible,  their  becoming  a  burden  upon  the  Government.  They 
may  be  hired  to  planters  or  other  citizens,  on  proper  assur 
ance  that  the  negroes  so  hired  will  not  be  run  off  beyond 
the  military  jurisdiction  of  the  United  States ;  they  may  be 
employed  on  any  public  works,  in  gathering  crops  from 
abandoned  plantations,  and  generally  in  any  manner  local 
commanders  may  deem  for  the  best  interests  of  the  Govern 
ment,  in  compliance  with  law  and  the  policy  of  the  admin 
istration. 

"It  will  be  the  duty  of  the  provost-marshal  at  evey  mil 
itary  post  to  see  that  every  negro  within  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  military  authority  is  employed  by  some  white  person, 
or  is  sent  to  the  camps  provided  for  freed  people. 

"  Citizens  may  make  contracts  with  freed"  2^crsons  of  color 
for  their  labor,  giving  wages  per  month  in  money,  or  employ 
families  of  them  by  the  year  upon  plantation^  etc.,  feeding, 
clothing,  and  supporting  the  infirm  as  well  as  able-bodied,  and 
giving  a  portion,  not  less  than  one-twentieth  of  the  commercial 
part  of  their  crops,  in  payment  for  such  services. 

"  Where  negroes  are  employed  under  this  authority,  the  par 
ties  employing  ivill  register  wiih  the  provost-marshal  their 
names,  occupation,  and  residence,  and  the  number  of  negroes 
so  employed.  They  will  enter  into  such  bonds  as  the  provost- 
marshal,  with  the  approval  of  the  local  commander,  may  re 
quire,  for  the  kind  treatment  and  proper  care  of  those  employed, 
and  as  security  against  their  being  carried  beyond  the  employe's 
jurisdiction. 

"Nothing  of  this  order  is  to  be  construed  to  embarrass 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  205 

the  employment  of  such  colored  persons  as  may  be  required 
by  the  Government. 

"Major-General  U.  S.  GRANT." 

In  August,  1863,  General  Grant,  having  occasion  to  visit 
Memphis,  he  was  received  with  great  honor.  An  address 
was  presented  him  by  the  loyal  citizens,  and  a  public  dinner 
tendered  him. 

The  dinner  was  a  grand  affair,  and  is  thus  described  by 
one  who  was  present : 

"At  precisely  nine  o'clock,  the  band  struck  up  one  of  the 
national  airs,  the  doors  of  the  reception  room  flew  open,  and 
General  Geant  made  his  appearance.      There  was  a  great 
rush,  on  the  part  of  the  enthusiastic  and  impatient  to  grasp 
the  hero  by  the  hand.     An  hour  at  least,  though  it  seemed 
less,    was   thus    consumed    in   hand-shaking    and    congrat 
ulations.      After    the   lapse   of  this    time,   the  band    again 
sent  forth  its  melody  in  the  shape  of  a  march.     The  whole 
assemblage  then  formed  in  two  ranks,  headed  by  General 
Grant.    This  being  done,  the  entire  party  marched  into  the 
dining-room,  made  the  complete  round  of  the  tables,  exam 
ining   the  preparations,  and  then   seated  themselves.      As 
would  be  expected,  no  sooner  had  each  individual  fastened 
himself  to  his  seat  than  commenced  a  grand,  simultaneous, 
and  destructive  assault  upon  the  various  dishes  before  him. 
Under  the  withering  gastronomic  abilities  of  the  assemblage 
the  victory  was  complete,  and  wound  up  by  the  total  wreck 
and  dissipation  of  the  scene  which,  but  a  few  moments  be 
fore,  shone  refulgent  in  all  its  beauty.    There  suddenly  ap 
peared  a  masked  battery  of  champagne  on  our  rear,  which 
opened  upon  the  guests  a  vigorous  champagne  cannonade. 
Soon  the  engagement  became  general,  and,  like  all  general 
engagements,  every  body  did  pretty  much  as  he  pleased,  so 
that  he  kept  in  the  ranks  and  did  not  shirk,  or  leave  the  field. 


206  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

"Next  followed  the  regular  toasts  of  the  evening. 

"  The  assemblage  being  called  to  order,  the  chairman  arose 
and  stated  the  fact. 

"The  toasts  were  then  read. 

"'The  United  States  of  America — They  have  one  consti 
tution  and  government:  may  they  have  one  grand  destiny 
while  human  institutions  endure.''  llesponded  to  by  Hon. 
Charles  Kortrecht. 

" '  The  Army  and  Navy — Their  deeds  and  heroisrri  in  this 
war  will  be  the  noble  theme  of  poet  and  historian  in  all 
future  time.'  llesponded  to  by  Adjutant-General  Lorenzo 
Thomas. 

"'General  Grant — the  guest  of  the  city.' 

"This  was  the  signal  for  the  wildest  applause,  and  it  was 
some  minutes  before  order  could  be  restored.  It  was  ex 
pected  that  General  Grant  would  be  brought  to  his  feet  by 
this ;  but  the  company  were  disappointed  upon  perceiving 
that,  instead,  his  place  was  taken  by  his  staff  surgeon,  Dr. 
Hewitt,  who  remarked  : 

."'I  am  instructed  by  General  Grant  to  say  that,  as  he 
has  never  been  given  to  public  speaking,  you  will  have  to 
excuse  him  on  this  occasion,  and,  as  I  am  the  only  member 
of  his  staff  present,  I  therefore  feel  it  my  duty  to  thank 
you  for  this  manifestation  of  your  good- will,  as  also  the 
numerous  other  kindnesses  of  which  he  has  been  the  recip 
ient  ever  since  his  arrival  among  you.  General  Grant  be 
lieves  that,  in  all  he  has  done,  he  has  no  more  than  accom 
plished  a  duty,  and  one,  too,  for  which  no  particular  honor 
is  due.  But  the  world,  as  you  do,  will  accord  otherwise.' 

"The  doctor  then  proposed,  at  General  Grant's  request — 

"  '  The  officers  of  the  different  staffs  and  non-commissioned 
officers  and  privates  of  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee.' 

"'The  Federal  Union — It  must  and  will  be  preserved!' 
Responded  to  by  Major-General  L.  A.  Ilurlbut. 


LIFE   OF   GRANT.  207 

"'The  Old  Flag! — May  its  extinguished  stars,  rekindled 
by  the  sacred  flame  of  human  liberty,  continue  to  shine  for 
ever,  undiminished  in  number,  and  undimmed  in  splendor/ 
Responded  to  by  General  Veatch. 

"  *  General  Grant — Your  Grant  and  my  Grant.  Having 
granted  us  victories,  grant  us  the  restoration  of  the  "  Old 
Flag;"  grant  us  supplies,  so  that  we  may  grant  to  our 
friends  the  grant  to  us.' 

"  'Abraham  Lincoln — He  must  be  sustained.'  Colonel  J. 
W.  Fuller. 

"The  Star-spangled  Banner  was  here  sung,  the  whole 
party  joining  in  the  chorus. 

"  '  The  Loyal  Men  of  Tennessee — Their  devotion  to  the 
Union,  the  cause  of  republican  government,  and  constitu 
tional  liberty,  is  like  gold  tried  seven  times  by  fire.'  Mr. 
J.  M.  Tomeny." 

A  poem  was  then  read,  combining  the  name  of  Grant 
with  De  Soto,  who  discovered  the  Mississippi  River,  and 
Fulton,  who  made  it  alive  with  steamers.  The  poem  closes 
with  the  following  verses : 

"Then  spoke  an  enemy — and  on  his  banks 
Armed  men  appeared,  and  cannon-shot  proclaimed 
The  Mississippi  closed — that  mighty  stream  ! 
Found  by  De  Soto,  and  by  Fulton  won ! 
One  thought  to  chain  him — ignominious  thought ! 
But  then  the  grand  old  monarch  shook  his  locks 
And  burst  his  fetters,  like  a  Samson  freed ! 
The  heights  were  crowned  with  ramparts,  sheltering  those 
Whose  treason  knew  no  bounds ;  the  frowning  forts 
Belched  lightnings,  and  the  morning  gun 
A  thousand  miles  told  mournfully  the  tale — 
The  Mississippi  closed. 

"  Not  long ;  from  the  Lord  God  of  Hosts  was  sent 
A  leader,  who  with  patient  vigil  planned 
A  great  deliverance :  height  by  height  was  gained, 


208  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

Island  and  hill,  and  woody  bank  and  cliff. 
Month  followed  month,  till  on  our  natal  day 
The  last  great  barrier  fell — and  never  more 
The  sire  of  waters  shall  obstruction  know! 
Now  with  De  /Sotos  name  and  Fulton  s,  see 
The  greater  name  of  Grant ! 
Our  children  s  children,  noble  Grant,  shall  stuff 
That  great  deliverance  !     On  the  floods  of  spring 
Thy  name  shall  sparkle ;  smiling  commerce  tell 
Thy  great  achievement  which  restores  the  chain, 
Never  again  to  break,  which  makes  us  one." 

Ill  order  that  the  people  of  Memphis  might  fully  under 
stand  his  sentiments  and  feelings,  General  Grant  sent  them 
the  following  excellent  letter  of  thanks : 

"  In  accepting  your  attentions,  which  I  do  at  great  sacri 
fice  to  my  personal  feelings,  I  simply  desire  to  pay  a  tribute 
to  the  first  public  exhibition  in  Memphis  of  loyalty  to  the 
Government  which  I  represent  in  the  Department  of  the 
Tennessee.  I  should  dislike  to  refuse,  for  considerations  of 
personal  convenience,  to  acknowledge,  anywhere  or  in  any 
form,  the  existence  of  sentiments  which  I  have  so  long  and 
so  ardently  desired  to  see  manifested  in  this  department. 
The  stability  of  this  Government,  and  the  unity  of  this  nation, 
depend  solely  on  the  cordial  support  and  the  earnest  loyalty 
of  the  people.  While,  therefore,  I  thank  you  sincerely  for 
the  kind  expressions  you  have  used  toward  myself,  I  am 
profoundly  gratified  at  this  public  recognition,  in  the  city  of 
Memphis,  of  the  power  and  authority  of  the  Government  of 
the  United  States." 

Proceeding  down  the  river,  and  stopping  to  inspect  his 
posts,  Grant,  in  due  time,  arrived  at  New  Orleans,  where  a 
review  had  been  arranged  for  him  on  the  4th  of  September. 

General  Banks,  accompanied  by  a  numerous  staff,  was  at 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  209 

the  St.  Charles  Hotel  as  early  as  eight  o'clock,  and,  at  nine 
o'clock,  both  generals  left  for  Carrolton,  where  the  review 
took  place.  The  street  was  crowded  to  witness  the  depar 
ture  of  these  officers,  all  present  being  desirous  of  seeing 
General  Grant.  He  ivas  in  undress  uniform,  "without  sword, 
sash,  or  belt;  coat  unbuttoned,  a  low-crowned  Hack  felt  hat, 
without  any  mark  upon  it  of  military  rank;  a  pair  of  kid 
gloves,  and  a  cigar  in  his  mouth.  It  must  be  known,  how 
ever,  that  he  is  never  without  the  latter,  except  when 
asleep. 

Mounted  on  a  magnificent  charger,  placed  at  his  disposal 
by  General  Banks,  Grant  dashed  at  full  gallop  along  the 
lines,  and  was  with  difficulty  folloAved  by  his  brilliant  cor 
tege.  At  length  he  drew  up  under  a  fine  old  oak  for  the 
troops  to  march  by  in  review.  He  lifted  his  hat  with  a 
more  formal  courtesy,  and  bowed  his  head  lower  as  the  shot- 
pierced  colors  of  his  old  regiments  passed  by,  and  when  the 
soiled  and  torn  standard  of  the  old  Thirteenth  Corps  came 
up,  Grant's  eye  brightened  with  a  tear  as  memory  rushed 
back  to  the  days  of  Belmont,  Donelson,  Pittsburg  Landing, 
and  Shiloh. 

But  a  sad  accident  happened  to  Grant  as  he  was  return 
ing  home  from  the  review.  The  shrill  scream  of  a  railroad 
whistle  frightened  his  horse,  and  the  terror-stricken  animal 
dashed  madly  oft',  crushing  a  carriage  that  was  in  its  way, 
and  throwing  Grant  upon  the  street.  Grant's  injuries  were 
of  such  a  serious  nature,  that  it  was  feared  he  would  never 
be  able  to  take  the  field  again.  He  was  carried  from  Car 
rolton  on  a  litter  to  the  steamer  "Eranklin,"  which  took 
him  up  the  river ;  his  breast-bone  was  said  to  have  been 
crushed,  three  ribs  broken,  and  one  side  paralyzed;  and  his 
brain  was  thought  to  be  affected  from  the  concussion  of  the 
fall  from  his  horse.  Fortunately  for  the  country,  by  the  aid 
of  a  good  surgeon,  he  was  enabled,  after  over  a  month's 
14 


210  LIFE    OP    GRANT. 

illness,   to    take    the   position   destined  for  him,   as   Chief 
Commander  in  the  West. 

As  soon  as  he  was  able  to  travel,  Grant  moved  on  up  the 
Mississippi,  stopping  to  rest  and  visit  the  military  posts 
along  the  bank.  When  he  arrived  at  Indianapolis,  he  found 
that  a  telegram  was  there  awaiting  him  at  the  depot,  re 
questing  him  to  delay  his  further  journey  until  the  arrival 
of  that  official.  It  was  not  long  before  they  met,  and,  as 
soon  as  the  Secretary  of  War  and  General  Grant  had  passed 
the  usual  compliments  between  gentlemen  on  their  first 
personal  acquaintance,  the  former  handed  the  latter  the 
following  order : 

"WAR  DEPARTMENT,  ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 

"WASHINGTON,  October  16,  1853. 
"[General  Orders,  No.  337.] 

"By  direction  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  the 
Departments  of  the  Ohio,  of  the  Cumberland,  and  of  the 
Tennessee,  will  constitute  the  Military  Division  of  the 
Mississippi.  Major-General  U.  S.  Grant,  United  States 
army,  is  placed  in  command  of  the  Military  Division  of  the 
Mississippi,  with  his  head-quarters  in  the  field. 

"Major-General  W.  S.  Rosecvans,  U.  S.  Vols.,  is  relieved 
from  the  command  of  the  Department  and  Army  of  the 
Cumberland.  Major-General  G.  II.  Thomas  is  hereby 
assigned  to  that  command. 

O 

"By  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War. 

"E.  D.  TOWXSEND,  A.  A.  G." 

The  party  then  proceeded,  with  their  special  attendants, 
to  Louisville,  where  their  arrival  created  intense  excite 
ment.  They  found  a  wondering  crowd  gathered  in  the  hall 
of  the  Gait  House  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  hero  of  Vicks- 
buro-.  Numerous  were  the  exclamations  of  wonder  as 

CD 

General    Grant   made    his    appearance.     There    seemed    to 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  211 

• 

have  been  an  impression  that  the  General  was  above  the 
ordinary  stature  of  men. 

"I  thought  he  was  a  large  man,"  said  a  native.  "He 
would  be  considered  a  small  chance  of  a  fighter  if  he  lived 
in  Kentucky." 

The  medium-sized  frame  of  the  General  formed  a  strange 
contrast  to  the  huge  figures  of  the  Kentuckians  who 
swarmed  to  behold  him. 

In  the  afternoon,  General  Grant  rode  out  and  visited  the" 
principal  places  of  interest  about  the  city,  and  that  same 
night  issued  an  order  accepting  and  assuming  charge  of  his 
new  command,  which  was  the  largest  that  had  ever  been 
intrusted  to  a  subordinate  in  this  or  any  other  country. 
He  had  under  his  direction  four  of  the  largest  armies  in 
the  field.  His  own  army,  with  which  he  won  the  victories 
in  and  around  Vicksburg  and  throughout  Mississippi ;  the 
"Army  of  the  Cumberland ;"  the  "Army  of  the  Ohio,"  and 
General  Hooker's  grand  division.  Under  him  were  a 
perfect  galaxy  of  marshals.  His  army  commanders  were 
Generals  Sherman,  Thomas,  Burnside,  and  Hooker.  (Gen 
eral  Foster's  column  was  afterward  added.)  His  corps 
commanders  were  as  follows  : 

The  Fourth  Army  Corps,  General  Granger;  the  ISTinth 
Army  Corps,  General  Potter ;  the  Eleventh  Army  Corps, 
General  Howard;  the  Twelfth  Army  Corps,  General 
Slocum :  the  Fourteenth  Army  Corps,  General  Palmer ; 
the  Fifteenth  Army  Corps,  General  J.  A,  Logan ;  the 
Sixteenth  Army  Corps,  General  Ilurlbut;  the  Seventeenth 
Army  Corps,  General  McPherson ;  and  the  Twenty-third 
Army  Corps,  General  Manson. 

His  division  and  brigade  leaders  were  not  inferior,  while 
the  regiments  were  of  the  best  fighting  material  in  the 
world. 

The    country    embraced  within    the    limits    of   this   new 


212  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

I 

command  included  the  States  of  Michigan,  Illinois,  Indiana, 
Ohio,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Mississippi,  Northern  Alabama, 
and  North-western  Georgia.  One  glance  at  the  map  will 
therefore  show  what  comprised  General  Grant's  Military 
Division  of  the  Mississippi. 

To  meet  this  grand  combination,  Bragg  had  his  own 
army,  Longstreet's  and  Hill's  Corps,  Pemberton's  army, 
which  was  reported  exchanged,  Johnston  with-  thirty 
thousand  men,  S.  D.  Lee's  division  of  five  thousand  men, 
and  two  small  brigades  in  Mississippi.  Perhaps  never 
before  were  such  masses  of  men  scattered  over  such  a  vast 
area,  under  the  command  of  men  other  than  generals-in- 
chief. 

Grant  never  rested  a  moment  when  there  was  work  to  be 
done.  Although  still  suffering  intensely  from  his  wounds, 
he  had  received  notice  of  his  assignment  to  a  new  com 
mand  one  day,  had  accepted  it  the  next,  was  at  Nashville 
the  day  following,  and  arrived  at  Chattanooga  on  the  23d 
of  October,  where  he  immediately  began  his  short  but 
brilliant  Chattanooga  campaign. 


LIFE   OF   GRANT.  213 


CHAPTER    XII. 

CHATTANOOGA THE    UNION    ARMY THE    REBEL   ARMY BRAGG' S    BLUNDER 

WHAT  JEFF  DAVIS    SAID HOOKER* S    BATTLE  ON  THE    28TII    OF   OCTOBER 

BURNSIDE    SHUT    UP     IN     KNOXV1LLE — HOOKER'S    BATTLE    ABOVE    THE 

CLOUDS — FULL     ACCOUNT    OF    SHERMAN'S    ADVANCE THRILLING    BATTLE 

SCENES GENERAL  GRANT  IN  BATTLE DEFEAT  OF  BRAGG — GRANT'S  PUR 
SUIT — FIGHT     AT    RINGGOLD HEROIC     CONDUCT    OF    GRANT WHAT     HIS 

STAFF    OFFICERS    SAY    OF   HIM SHERMAN    REACHES    KNOXVILLE DEFEAT 

AND  RETREAT  OF  LONG  STREET — END  OF  THE  CHATTANOOGA   CAMPAIGN 

CONGRATULATIONS  AND  REJOICING. 

GRANT  found  the  Union  army  at  Chattanooga  in  a  strong 
position,  with  its  flanks  resting  on  the  Tennessee  river. 
The  enemy  was  drawn  up  on  Mission  Ridge,  across  Chat 
tanooga  Valley,  and  on  Lookout  Mountain.  The  long  lines 
of  communications  over  which  the  supplies  for  the  Union 
forces  had  to  be  brought  were  infested  with  bands  of  guer 
rillas,  who  so  annoyed  and  delayed  the  trains  that  the 
army  was  often  on  the  point  of  starvation. 

Having  improved  his  means  of  supplies  as  best  he  could, 
Grant,  with  restless  activity,  began  preparations  for  battle. 

He  sent  General  \V.  F.  Smith,  with  four  thousand  men, 
to  Brown's  Ferry,  six  miles  below,  to  cross  the  river  and  seize 
the  steep  hills  at  the  mouth  of  Lookout  Valley.  On  the  night 
of  the  27th  of  October,  General  Hazen,  a  dashing  young  sol 
dier,  with  a  body  of  picked  men,  quietly  dropped  down  the 
stream  in  boats,  landed  unobserved,  seized  the  rebel  pickets, 
and  occupied  the  spurs  of  the  mountain  near  the  river. 
Hooker  was  now  marching  up  from  Nashville,  by  way  of 


214  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

Bridgeport,  and  on  the  28th,  brought  his  forces  into  Look 
out  Valley,  at  Wauhatchie.  Sherman  was  also  on  the  march 
to  Chattanooga,  coming  from  Corinth,  by  way  of  Florence, 
and  driving  the  enemy  before  him. 

Bragg,  maddened  by  the  clamor  of  rebel  citizens,  and 
goaded  on  by  an  unfriendly  rebel  press,  committed  the  fatal 
blunder  of  detaching  a  large  body  of  his  troops,  under 
Longstreet,  and  sending  them  to  attack  Burnside  at  Knox- 
ville.  When  Grant  heard  of  what  Bragg  had  done,  ho 
gravely  said,  "  I  approve  of  his  action,"  and  at  once  tele 
graphed  to  Sherman:  "Drop  everything  east  of  Bear  Creek 
and  hurry  up  with  your  whole  force."  On  the  23d  of  No 
vember,  the  head  of  Sherman's  column  arrived  at  Brown's 
Ferry,  Hooker  was  well  up,  and  Thomas  threatening  the 
enemy  beyond  Orchard  Knob.  Affairs  looked  decidedly 
interesting,  and  a  great  battle  seemed  impending.  Davis 
had  been  telegraphed  to,  and  about  this  time  the  rebel  Pres 
ident  paid  a  visit  to  Bragg's  army,  to  ascertain  the  true 
condition  of  affairs,  and  it  is  reported  that  the  following 
scene  occurred  on  the  summit  of  Lookout  Mountain : 

Looking  down  one  bright  day  from  the  lofty  eminence 
commanding  a  clear  view  into  four  States,  and  a  very  dis 
tant  view  into  a  fifth,  Davis  saw  Grant's  army  almost  be 
neath  his  feet,  across  the  valley,  working  like  beavers  on 
their  fortifications. 

"I  have  them  now,"  said  he,  "in  just  the  trap  I  set  for 
them." 

To  which  Lieutenant-General  Pemberton,  who  was  sitting 
on  horseback  beside  him,  replied,  "Mr.  Davis,  you  are 
commander-in-chief,  and  you  are  here.  You  think  the 
enemy  are  in  a  trap,  and  can  be  captured  by  a  vigorous 
assault.  I  have  been  blamed  for  not  ordering  a  general 
attack  on  the  enemy  when  they  were  drawing  around  me 
their  lines  of  circumvallation  at  Vicksburg.  Do  you  now 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  215 

% 

order  an  attack  upon  those  troops  down  there  below  us, 
and  I  will  set  you  my  life  that  not  one  G — d  d — d  man  of 
the  attacking  column  will  ever  come  back  across  that  valley 
except  as  a  prisoner." 

Hooker  had  pushed  well  up  Lookout  Valley,  and  his 
troops  now  covered  the  two  excellent  parallel  roads  leading 
from  Bridgeport  to  Brown's  and  Kelly's  Ferries.  The  diffi 
culties  in  the  way  of  Hooker's  advance  can  only  be  prop 
erly  estimated  by  reading  the  following  account  of  his 
fighting  on  the  28th  of  October,  written  by  an  eye-witness : 

"  The  morning  of  the  28th  opened  with  a  clear,  bright, 
beautiful  moonlight,  the  scenery  on  every  side  traced  in 
dark  somber  hues  on  the  background  of  the  sky.  High, 
towering  mountains — the  Raccoon  Mountain  on  one  side  and 
the  Lookout  Mountain  on  the  other — and  the  valley  diver 
sified  by  open  fields  and  small  clumps  of  woods,  formed  a 
curious  picture.  On  Lookout  Mountain  bright  fires  burned, 
and  told  us  too  plainly  where  to  look  for  the  enemy  and 
his  signal  officers.  Our  camp-fires  burned  brightly,  and 
our  line  lay  on  a  parallel  with  what  w$s  the  enemy's  on  the 
day  previous.  Two  divisions  were  encamped  on  the  left  or 
front  of  our  line.  Another  division,  General  G-eary's,  was 
in  bivouac,  about  one  mile  and  a  half  from  the  other  two 
divisions.  Between  the  two  sections  of  the  command  the 
enemy  held  a  position  on  the  Chattanooga  road  proper,  as 
also  on  the  railroad.  In  brief,  the  enemy  had  a  force,  in 
a  gap  between  the  base  of  the  point  of  Lookout  Mountain, 
along  the  river  on  the  fiats  and  some  hills,  partially  situated 
in  our  rear.  Suddenly  the  Union  troops  were  aroused  by 
the  heavy  firing  in  the  direction  of  General  Geary's  division. 
At  once  preparation  was  made  for  a  general  engagement. 
The  troops  were  soon  in  column,  and  the  trains  and  ambu 
lances  got  in  readiness  for  the  emergency.  As  they  pressed 
forward  on  the  road  to  join  General  Geary,  the  enemy 


21G  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

opened .  a  heavy  fire  of  musketry  from  a  liigh  hill  close  to 
their  line  of  advance.  At  once  our  commanding  generals 
comprehended  the.  state  of  affairs.  The  enemy  had  intend 
ed  their  movement  to  be  a  surprise,  and  one  \vith  a  view 
to  the  probable  surrounding  and  possible  capture  of  Geary's 
force.  From  prisoners  taken*  during  the  fight  that  ensued, 
we  learned  that  General  Longstreet,  on  beholding  our  col 
umn  move  up  the  Lookout  Valley  toward  Chattanooga, 
quietly  massed  two  divisions  on  Lookout  Mountain,  and 
moved  them  up  to  and  across  Lookout  Creek,  with  a  view  to 
the  carrying  out  of  the  plan  of  his  surprise  movement.  About 
eight  P.  M.  he  moved  his  division  across  the  creek.  One 
division  passed  on  to  the  Chattanooga  road  and  occupied 
two  hills  commanding  the  road,  on  a  parallel,  leading  to 
Brown's  Ferry.  The  other  division  passed  down  the  rail 
road,  and  from  there  on  to  the  Chattanooga  road,  below  the 
fork.  The  rebels  had  intrenched  themselves  on  the  hill, 
and  from  their  works  had  opened  fire  upon  the  Union  com 
mand;  but  this  did  not  delay  the  advance  of  the  reenforce- 
ments,  which  pushed  along  under  fire  through  an  open  space 
or  field  to  the  right  of  the  front  of  the  hills. 

"While  this  command  was  pressing  forward,  a  second  di 
vision  was  moved  up  on  the  road,  and  a  courier  sent  to 
inform  General  Geary  of  the  near  approach  of  assistance. 

"  An  order  was  now  given  to  take  the  hill,  and  the  second  di 
vision  was  assigned  to  the  task.  The  advance  was  commenced 
and  the  enemy  poured  down  a  heavy  fire  of  musketry. 
Slowly  the  men  went  up  the  hill,  the  ascent  of  which  was  so 
steep  that  it  was  as  much  as  a  man  could  do  to  get  to  the  top 
in  peaceful  times,  and  with  the  help  of  daylight.  This  hill 
was  covered  with  briar-bushes,  fallen  trees,  and  tangling 
masses  of  various  descriptions,  but  our  boys  pressed  for 
ward  in  spite  of  all  obstructions.  The  whole  division  at  last 
gave  a  sudden  start  forward  and  gained  the  crest  of  the 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  217 

hill.  The  enemy's  line  wavered  and  broke,  and  the  rebels 
composing  it  went  down  the  other  side  of  the  hill  with  bro 
ken,  flying,  and  disordered  ranks.  On  gaining  the  crest  our 
men  found  that  they  had  not  only  driven  the  enemy  off,  but 
had  taken  some  tolerably  well-constructed  earth-works,  be 
hind  which  the  rebels  had  posted  themselves.  It  was  then 
ascertained,  too,  that  the  hill  had  been  occupied  by  about 
two  thousand  rebels.  The  success  and  gallantry  with  which 
the  height  was  taken  elicited  general  commendation  to  the 
skill  and  bravery  of  the  troops  and  their  commanding  officers." 

Soon  after  this  a  detachment  from  another  division  took 
the  next  hill  to  the  right  without  much  resistance. 

The  enemy  continued  a  scattering  fire  for  some  time  after 
the  hills  were  taken,  but  finally  ceased  troubling  us.  In 
the  meantime,  General  Geary  had  bravely  resisted  the 
rebel  attack,  and,  after  two  hours  hard  fighting,  the  enemy 
had  retreated,  without  making  Geary's  line  waver  or  fall 
back  one  foot.  Almost  every  horse,  in  one  section  of  artil 
lery,  was  shot  dead.  The  enemy  retired  across  the  railroad, 
and  from  there  to  the  other  side  of  the  creek. 

"Fighting  Joe  Hooker"  bravely  overcame  every  obstacle, 
and  pushed  on  until,  in  the  language  of  Grant,  "he  reached 
the  proper  place." 

On  the  14th  of  November,  Longstreet  was  reported  cross 
ing  the  Little  Tennessee  River  with  a  strong  force,  and  the 
same  evening  Burnside's  Union  troops  attacked  the  rebel 
advance  and  drove  it  back.  At  Lenoir  the  rebels  were 
again  brought  to  a  halt,  and  a  severe  action,  lasting  from 
noon  until  night,  was  fought  at  Campbell's  Station. 

The  detention  of  the  rebels  enabled  the  Unionists  to 
withdraw  their  garrisons  and  get  off  their  trains,  which  they 
sent  within  the  defenses  at  Knoxville.  The  holding  of  the 
rebels  in  check  also  enabled  Grant  to  complete  his  opera 
tions  in  front  of  Chattanooga. 


218  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

On  the  19th  of  November,  Burnside  notified  Grant  that 
the  Union  forces,  trains,  and  supplies,  were  all  safely  housed 
within  the  strong  works  of  Knoxville,  and  that  the  rebels 
were  before  the  city  beginning  a  siege.  Grant,  who  had 
feared  all  along  that  Longstreet  might  be  recalled  to  the  aid 
of  Bragg,  when  he  heard  that  the  rebel  general  was  be 
sieging  Knoxville,  drew  forth  a  long  cigar,  and  lighting  it, 
exclaimed,  with  evident  satisfaction :  "  Good !  we  have  them 
now  where  we  want  them.  I  will  move  on  the  enemy's 
works." 

It  was  now  the  morning  of  the  23d  of  November,  and  the 
first  act  in  the  great  drama  of  Chattanooga  was  about  to 
begin.  Grant,  Thomas,  Howard,  and  Wood  stood  on  the 
ramparts  of  Fort  Wood  watching  the  long  lines  of  soldiers 
debouching  from  their  camps  and  forming  on  the  plains. 

The  rebels  watched  the  formation  and  movement  from 
their  picket-lines  and  rifle-pits,  and  from  the  summits  of 
Missionary  Ridge,  five  hundred  feet  above,  and  thought  it 
was  a  revieiv  and  drill,  so  openly  and  deliberately,  so  regu 
lar,  was  it  all  done. 

The  line  advanced,  preceded  by  skirmishers,  and  at  two 
o'clock  P.  M.  reached  our  picket-lines,  and  opened  a 
rattling  volley  upon  the  rebel  pickets,  who  replied  and  ran 
into  their  advanced  line  of  rifle-pits.  After  them  went  our 
skirmishers  and  into  them,  along  the  center  of  the  line  of 
twenty-five  thousand  troops  which  General  Thomas  had  so 
quickly  displayed,  until  we  opened  fire.  Prisoners  assert 
that  they  thought  the  whole  movement  was  a  review  and 
general  drill,  and  that  it  was  too  late  to  send  to 'their  camps 
for  reinforcements,  and  that  they  were  overwhelmed  by 
force  of  numbers.  It  was  a  surprise  in  open  daylight. 

At  three  P.  M.,  the  important  advanced  position  of 
Orchard  Knob  and  the  lines  right  and  left  were  in  our 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  219 

possession,  and  arrangements  were  ordered  for  holding  them 
during  the  night. 

The  next  day,  at  daylight,  General  Sherman  had  five 
thousand  men  across  the  Tennessee,  and  established  on  its 
south  bank,  and  commenced  the  construction  of  a  pontoon 
bridge  about  six  miles  above  Chattanooga.  The  rebel 
steamer  Dunbar  was  repaired  at  the  right  moment,  and 
rendered  effective  aid  in  this  crossing,  carrying  over  six 
thousand  men. 

By  night-fall  General  Sherman  had  seized  the  extremity 
of  Missionary  Ridge  nearest  the  river,  and  was  intrenching 
himself.  General  Howard,  with  a  brigade,  opened  com 
munication  with  him  from  Chattanooga  on  the  south  side 
of  the  river.  Skirmishing  and  cannonading  continued  all 
day  on  the  left  and  center.  General  Hooker  scaled  the 
slopes  of  Lookout  Mountain,  and  from  the  valley  of  Look 
out  Creek  drove  the  rebels  around  the  point.  He  captured 
some  two  thousand  prisoners,  and  established  himself  high 
up  the  mountain  side,  in  full  view  of  Chattanooga.  This 
raised  the  blockade,  and  now  steamers  were  ordered  from 
Bridgeport  to  Chattanooga.  They  had  run  only  to  Kelley's 
Ferry,  whence  ten  miles  of  hauling  over  mountain  roads 
and  twice  across  the  Tennessee  on  pontoon  bridges  brought 
us  our  supplies. 

The  day  had  been  one  of  dense  mists  and  rains,  -and 
much  of  General  Hooker's  battle  was  fought  above  the  clouds, 
which  concealed  him  from  our  view,  but  from  which  his 
musketry  was  heard. 

The  fighting  in  Hooker's  front  had  been  desperate  in  the 
extreme.  Shanks,  who  witnessed  it,  gives  the  following 
account : 

"Now  began  the  heavy  struggle  of  the  day.  Sending 
two  regiments  to  hold  the  road  which  crosses  the  spur  of  the 
mountain  from  the  east,  he  advanced  the  rest  of  his  forces 


220  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

to  the  front  line.  An  advance  was  immediately  ordered, 
and  for  an  hour  and  a  half  (it  was  now  two  o'clock  P.  M.)  a 
very  heavy  sharpshooters'  fight  was  kept  up.  I  can  not 
expect  to  give  any  clear  idea  of  this  engagement.  It  was 
no  place  to  maneuver  columns.  Each  man  and  company 
fought  upon  his  and  its  'own  hook.'  From  Chattanooga 
nothing  was  visible  save  the  misty  smoke  which  enveloped 
and  hid  the  mountain.  But  beneath  this  the  combatants 
saw  each  other,  and  here  they  continued  to  fight  with  des 
peration  until  four  o'clock,  when  there  came  a  tide  in  Hook 
er's  fortune,  which  he  did  not  fail  to  take  at  the  flood. 

"The  skirmish  line  was  enabled,  under  cover  of  the  trees 
which  grew  along  that  part  of  the  ridge,  to  advance  much 
nearer  the  rebel  line  than  those  in  the  immediate  front  of 
the  enemy  and  the  open  field.  It  was  also  upon  the  flank 
of  the  position ;  and  the  weakness  of  the  enemy  having 
compelled  him  to  contract  his  left,  a  lodgment  was  found 
very  near  their  rifle-pits.  General  Hooker,  upon  being 
informed  of  this,  at  four  o'clock  ordered  a  charge  of  the 
line,  and  through  a  heavy  and  rapid  fire,  kept  up  for  five 
long  minutes — and  minutes  are  sometimes  very  long — the 
men  dashed  forward  upon,  over,  and  into  the  abandoned  pits. 
The  enemy  had  seen  the  long  line  of  steel  that  glittered 
even  amid  the  rain  which  was  pouring  upon  them,  and  they 
couldn't  stand  that.  They  also  saw  troops  upon  their  left 
flank,  and,  filled  with  that  holy  horror  which  old  soldiers 
have  for  'flank  movements,'  they  couldn't  stand  that. 
They  fell  back,  abandoning  works,  artillery,  and  position, 
but  still  holding  the  important  Summertown  road. 

"But  the  enemy,  though  flanked  and  overpowered,  did 
not  appear  disposed  to  leave  us  in  quiet  possession  of  his 
works  and  guns.  He  hastily  reformed  his  lines,  and  pre 
pared  to  assault  in  turn.  The  Unionists  had  hardly  occu 
pied  the  captured  position,,  or  been  able  to  remove  the 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  221 

captured  guns,  before  the  enemy  returned  to  the  attack. 
He  pressed  forward  with  great  vigor,  and  gained  ground 
very  rapidly  at  first,  but  found  in  his  way  the  same  obstacle 
of  the  open  field,  while  he  did  riot  have  the  advantage  of 
superior  numbers.  As  soon  as  it  came  to  close  work,  his 
rapidly  advancing  lines  were  halted  very  suddenly  by  the 
terrible  fire  which  was  now  poured  in  upon  him.  He 
continued,  however,  to  fire  rapidly,  and  with  some  execution 
upon  our  line,  but  would  have  been  ultimately  repulsed 
without  other  assistance,  had  not  a  very  serious  obstacle 
presented  itself. 

"  Men  in  line  of  battle  very  soon  expend  their  ammunition. 
In  a  skirmishing  engagement,  like  that  they  were  then 
having,  they  dispose  of  it  even  more  rapidly.  We  were 
nearly  out  of  ammunition,  and  the  commanding  officer  had 
serious  fears  he  would  have  to  relinquish  possession  of  the 
works,  if  his  cartridge-boxes  were  not  soon  replenished. 
General  Hooker,  anticipating  this,  had  sent  for  ammunition 
at  an  early  hour  after  getting  possession  of  the  road  across 
the  spur  of  the  mountain ;  but  the  difficulties  of  the  uncer 
tain  pontoon  bridges  had  prevented  his  getting  any.  He 
again  asked  for  it,  and  this  time  it  came,  and  at  the  oppor 
tune  moment.  The  men  were  beginning  to  fall  out  of  line 
occasionally,  entirely  out  of  ammunition;  for  when  a  man 
puts  his  hand  behind  him  and  into  his  cartridge-box,  to  find 
no  cartridges  there,  a  good  deal  of  his  confidence,  if  not 
courage,  oozes  out  at  the  ends  of  his  fingers,  with  which  he 
thought  to  grasp  the  death-dealing  messenger.  The  line 
was  beginning  to  be  thinned  by  men  who  had  fired  their 
sixty  rounds,  when  the  ammunition  which  General  Thomas 
had  sent  sprang  across  Chattanooga  Creek.  The  enemy 
had  begun  to  perceive  his  advantage  and  to  push  forward, 
when  this  ammunition  marched  up  the  hill.  The  enemy  had 
even  ventured  upon  a  about  of  assured  victory,  when  this 


222  LIFE   OF    GRANT.* 

ammunition  deployed  into  line  and  double-quicked  across 
the  open  field,  and  sprang  into  the  vacated  places.  There 
were  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  rounds  of  it, 
strapped  upon  the  backs  of  as  good  men  as  had  stayed 
with  Thomas  at  Chickamauga,  and  in  ten  minutes  after  it 
reached  the  works  it  had  repulsed  the  enemy !  The  reen- 
forcernents  which  so  opportunely  arrived,  consisted  of  a 
brigade  of  the  Fourteenth  Corps,  and  upon  it  devolved  the 
remainder  of  the  labor  of  the  day.  It  was  dark  by  the 
time  the  enemy  were  repulsed,  and  those  who  stayed  in 
Chattanooga  describe  the  fight  as  the  most  magnificent  view 
of  the  grand  panorama  of  war  which  we  have  just  witnessed. 
It  was  just  beginning  to  be  dark  enough  to  see  the  flash 
of  the  muskets,  and  still  light  enough  to  distinguish  the 
general  outline  of  the  contending  masses.  The  mountain 
was  lit  up  by  the  fires  of  the  men  in  the  second  line,  and 
the  flash  of  musketry  and  artillery.  An  unearthly  noise 
rose  from  the  mountain,  as  if  the  old  monster  was  groaning 
with  the  punishment  the  pigmy  combatants  inflicted  upon 
him  as  well  as  upon  each  other.  And  during  it  all,  the 
great  guns  upon  the  summit  continued,  as  in  rage,  to  bel 
low  defiance  at  the  smaller  guns  of  Moccasin  Point,  which, 
with  lighter  tone,  arid  more  rapidly,  as  if  mocking  the 
imbecility  of  its  giant  enemy,  continued  to  fire  till  the  day 
roared  itself  into  darkness. 

"The  enemy  fell  back,  after  his  repulse,  to  a  point  cover 
ing  the  Summertown  ascent  to  the  summit  of  the  mountain, 
and  for  the  remainder  of  the  night  confined  himself  to  the 
defense  of  that  defile,  and  to  the  evacuation  of  the  mountain. 

"Subsequently,  about  midnight,  the  enemy,  to  cover  his 
retreat,  made  an  assault  upon  the  Union  lines,  but  though 
they  did  some  execution,  they  were  handsomely  repulsed. 

"  General  Hooker  made  a  great  reputation,  by  this  attack, 
with  the  men  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland.  As  his 


LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


223 


lines  would  advance  after  night,  the  men  could  see  his  fires 
springing  up  and  locating  his  new  line.  As  each  line 
became  developed  by  these  fires,  those  on  the  mountain 
could  plainly  distinguish  the  cheers  of  their  comrades  below. 
One  of  the  expressions  used  by  a  private  who  was  watching 
the  fires  from  Orchard  Knob,  has  already  grown  into  the 
dignity  of  a  camp  proverb.  On  seeing  the  line  of  camp-fires 
advanced  to  Carlin's  house,  and  beyond  the  rifle-pits  of  the 
enemy,  a  soldier  in  General  Wood's  command  sprang  up 
from  his  reclining  position  on  Orchard  Knob,  and  exclaimed: 

" '  Look  at  old  Hooker  !     Do  n't  he  fight  for  keeps  ?' j: 

The  sequel  of  the  fight— the  morning's  handsome  epilogue 
to  the  night's  drama — is  already  known.  Hooker  found 
the  enemy  gone,  and  the  assault  of  Lookout  Mountain  had 
not  been  in  vain. 

The  following  is  General  Grant's  modest  dispatch  with 
regard  to  the  operations  of  the  second  day  : 

"CHATTANOOGA,  Nov.  24—6  P.  M. 
"Met] or- General  II.   W.  Railed:,  General-in-Chief,  Washington,  D.  C. : 

"The  fighting  to-day  progressed  favorably. 

"General  Sherman  carried  the  end  of  Missionary  Ridge, 
and  his  right  is  now  at  the  tunnel,  and  his  left  at  Chicka- 
mauga  Creek. 

"The  troops  from  Lookout  Valley  carried  the  point  of  the 
mountain,  and  now  hold  the  eastern  slope  and  point  high 

up. 

"I  can  not  yet  tell  the  amount  of  casualties,  but  our  loss 

is  not  heavy. 

"  General  Hooker  reports  two  thousand  prisoners  taken, 
besides  which  a  small  number  have  fallen  into  our  hands 
from.  Missionary  Ridge. 

"U.  S.  GRANT,  Major- General." 

In  the  above  dispatch  General  Grant  says  nothing  about 


224  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

himself,  or  in  what  manner  lie  had  participated  in  the 
struggle,  although,  notwithstanding  his  crippled  condition, 
he  anxiously  watched  the  movements  of  the  troops  at  a 
position  within  cannon  shot  of  the  enemy. 

At  night,  after  the  battle,  the  clouds  broke  away,  and 
the  full  moon  shone  bright  and  clear  upon  the  terrible  scene. 
At  one  o'clock  A.  M.,  the  twinkling  sparks  upon  the 
mountain  side  showed  that  the  skirmishing  had  already 
begun,  and  continued  until  the  light  broke  and  ushered 
in  another  day  of  battle. 

The  rebel  troops  were  seen,  as  soon  as  it  was  light 
enough,  streaming  regiments  and  brigades  along  the  narrow 
summit  of  Missionary  Ridge,  either  concentrating  on  the 
right  to  overwhelm  Sherman,  or  marching  for  the  railroad 
to  raise  the  siege. 

They  had  evacuated  the  valley  of  Chattanooga.  Would 
they  abandon  that  of  Chickamauga? 

The  twenty-pounders  and  four-and-a-quarter-inch  rifles  of 
Wood's  redoubt  opened  on  Missionary  Hidge.  Orcjiard 
Knob  sent  its  compliments  to  the  ridge,  which,  with  rifled 
Parrots,  answered,  and  the  cannonade  thus  commenced,  con 
tinued  all  day.  Shot  and  shell  screamed  from  Orchard  Knob 
to  Missionary  Ridge,  and  from  Missionary  Ridge  to  Orchard 
Knob,  and  from  Wood's  redoubt,  over  the  heads  of  Generals 
Grant  and  Thomas  arid  their  staffs,  who  were  with  us  in  this 
favorable  position,  from  whence  the  whole  battle  could  be 
seen  as  in  an  amphitheater.  The  head-quarters  were  under 
fire  all  day  long. 

Cannonading  and  musketry  were  heard  from  General 
Sherman,  and  General  Howard  marched  the  Eleventh  Corps 
to  join  him. 

General  Thomas  sent  out  skirmishers,  who  drove  in  the 
rebel  pickets  and  chased  them  into  their  intrenchments ;  and 
at  the  foot  of  Missionary  Ridge,  Sherman  made  an  assault 


LIFE    OF    GRA2JT.  225 

against  Bragg' s  right,  intrenched  on  a  high  knob  next  to 
that  on  which  Sherman  himself  lay  fortified.  The  assault 
was  gallantly  made. 

The  following  thrilling  account  of  Sherman's  advance  is 
from  the  pen  of  the  accomplished  writer,  B.  F.  Taylor : 

"The  iron  heart  of  Sherman's  column  began  to  be  audible, 
like  the  fall  of  great  trees  in  the  depth  of  the  forest,  as  it 
beat  beyond  the  woods  on  the  extreme  left.  Over  roads  in 
describable,  and  conquering  lions  of  difficulties  that  met  him 
all  the  way,  he  at  length  arrived  with  his  command  of  the 
Army  of  the  Tennessee.  The  roar  of  his  guns  was  like  the 
striking  of  a  great,  clock,  and  grew  nearer  and  louder  as  the 
morning  wore  away.  Along  the  center  all  was  still.  Our 
men  lay  as  they  had  lain  since  Tuesday  night,  motionless 
behind  the  works.  Generals  Grant,  Thomas,  Granger, 
Meigs,  Hunter,  Reynolds,  were  grouped  at  Orchard  Knob, 
here;  Bragg,  Breckinridge,  Hardee,  Stevens,  Cleburne,  Bates, 
Walker,  were  waiting  on  Mission  Ridge,  yonder.  And  the 
northern  clock  tolled  on!  At  noon,  a  pair  of  steamers, 
screaming  in  the  river  across  the  town,  telling  over,  in  their 
own  wild  way,  our  mountain  triumph  on  the  right,  pierced 
the  hushed  breath  of  air  between  two  lines  of  battle  with  a 
note  or  two  of  the  music  of  peaceful  life. 

"At  one  o'clock  the  signal  flag  at  Fort  Wood  was  a  flutter. 
Scanning  the  horizon,  another  flag,  glancing  like  a  lady's 
handkerchief,  showed  white  across  a  field  lying  high  and  dry 
upon  the  ridge  three  miles  to  the  north-east,  and  answered 
back.  The  center  and  Sherman's  corps  had  spoken.  As 
the  hour  went  by,  all  semblance  to  falling  tree  and  tolling 
clock  had  vanished;  it  was  a  rattling  roar;  the  ring  of  Sher 
man's  panting  artillery,  and  the  fiery  gust  from  the  rebel 
guns  on  Tunnel  Hill,  the  point  of  Mission  Ridge.  The 
enemy  had  massed  there  the  corps  of  Hardee  and  Buckner, 
as  upon  a  battlement,  utterly  inaccessible  save  by  one  steep, 
15 


226  LIFE    OP    GRANT. 

narrow  way,  commanded  by  their  guns.  A  thousand  men 
could  hold  it  against  a  host.  And  right  in  front  of  this  bold 
abutment  of  the  ridge,  is  a  broad,  clear  field,  skirted  by 
woods.  Across  this  tremendous  threshold  up  to  death's  door 
moved  Sherman's  column.  Twice  it  advanced,  and  twice  I 
saw  it  swept  back  in  bleeding  lines  before  the  furnace  blast, 
until  that  russet  field  seemed  some  strange  page  ruled  thick 
with  blue  and  red.  Bright  valor  was  in  vain;  they  lacked 
the  ground  to  stand  on;  they  wanted,  like  the  giant  of  old 
story,  a  touch  of  earth  to  make  them  strong.  It  was  the 
devil's  own  corner.  Before  them  was  a  lane,  whose  upper 
end  the  rebel  cannon  swallowed.  Moving  by  the  right  flank, 
nature  opposed  them  with  precipitous  heights.  There  was 
nothing  for  it  but  straight  across  the  field,  swept  by  an  enfi 
lading  fire,  and  up  to  the  lane,  down  which  drove  the  storm. 
They  could  unfold  no  broad  front,  and  so  the  losses  were 
less  than  seven  hundred,  that  must  otherwise  have  swelled 
to  thousands.  The  musketry  fire  was  delivered  with  terrible 
emphasis;  two  dwellings,  in  one  of  which  Federal  wounded 
men  were  lying,  set  on  fire  by  the  rebels,  began  to  send  up 
tall  columns  of  smoke,  streaked  red  with  fire ;  the  grand  and 
the  terrible  were  blended. 

"  At  half-past  three,  a  group  of  generals,  whose  names  will 
need  no  'Old  Mortality'  to  chisel  them  anew,  stood  upon 
Orchard  Knob.  The  hero  of  Vicksburg  was  there,  calm, 
clear,  persistent,  far-seeing.  Thomas,  the  sterling  and 
sturdy;  Meigs,  Hunter,  Granger,  Reynolds.  Clusters  of 
humbler  mortals  were  there,  too,  but  it  was  any  thing  but  a 
turbulent  crowd;  the  voice  naturally  fell  into  a  subdued  tone, 
and  even  young  faces  took  on  the  gravity  of  later  years. 
Generals  Grant,  Thomas,  and  Granger  conferred,  an  order 
was  given,  and  in  an  instant  the  knob  ivas  cleared  like  a  ship's 
deck  for  action.  At  twenty  minutes  of  four,  Granger  stood 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  227 

upon  the  parapet ;  the  bugle  swung  idle  at  the  bugler's  side, 
the  warbling  fife  and  the  grumbling  drum  unheard : — there 
was  to  be  louder  talk — six  guns  at  intervals  of  two  seconds, 
the  signal  to  advance.  Strong  and  steady  his  voice  rang 
out :  'Number  one,  fire  !  Number  two,  fire  !  Number 
three,  fire  ! '  it  seemed  to  me  the  tolling  of  the  clock  of  des 
tiny  ;  and  when  at  'Number  six,  fire!'  the  roar  throbbed  out 
with  the  flash,  you  should  have  seen  the  dead  line  that  had 
been  lying  behind  the  works  all  day,  all  night,  all  day  again, 
come  to  resurrection  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye — leap  like 
a  blade  from  its  scabbard,  and  sweep  with  a  two-mile  stroke 
toward  the  ridge.  From  divisions  to  brigades,  from  brigades 
to  regiments,  the  order  ran.  A  minute,  and  the  skirmishers 
deploy ;  a  minute,  and  the  first  great  drops  begin  to  patter 
along  the  line  ;  a  minute,  and  the  musketry  is  in  full  play 
like  the  crackling  whips  of  a  hemlock  fire ;  men  go  down 
here  and  there,  before  your  eyes ;  the  wind  lifts  the  smoke 
and  drifts  it  away  over  the  top  of  the  ridge ;  every  thing  is 
too  distinct;  it  is  fairly  palpable ;  you  can  touch  it  with  your 
hand.  The  divisions  of  Wood  and  Sheridan  are  wading 
breast  deep  in  the  valley  of  death. 

" '  Take  the  ridge  if  you  can ' — '  Take  the  ridge  if  you 
can '- — and  so  it  went  along  the  line.  But  the  advance  had 
already  set  forth  without  it.  Stout-hearted  Wood,  the  iron- 
gray  veteran,  is  rallying  on  his  men;  stormy  Turchin  is 
delivering  brave  words  in  bad  English  ;  Sheridan — '  little 
Phil' — you  may  easily  look  down  upon  him  without  climb 
ing  a  tree,  and  see  one  of  the  most  gallant  leaders  of  the 
age  if  you  do — is  riding  to  and  fro  along  the  first  line  of 
rifle-pits,  as  calmly  as  a  chess-player.  An  aid  rides  up 
with  the  order.  'A very,  that  flask,'  said  the  General. 
Quietly  filling  the  pewter  cup,  Sheridan  looks  up  at  the 
battery  that  frowns  above  him,  by  Bragg's  head-quarters, 


228  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

shakes  his  cap  amid  that  storm  of  every  thing  that  kills, 
when  you  could  hardly  hold  your  hand  without  catching  a 
bullet  in  it,  and  with  a  '  How  are  you  ? '  tosses  off  the  cup. 
The  blue  battle-flag  of  the  rebels  fluttered  a  response  to  the 
cool  salute,  and  the  next  instant  the  battery  let  fly  its  six 
guns,  showering  Sheridan  with  earth.  Alluding  to  that  com 
pliment  with  any  thing  but  a  .blank  cartridge,  the  General 

said  to  me  in  his  quiet  way,  * 1  thought  it ungenerous  ! ' 

The  recording  angel  will  drop  a  tear  upon  the  word  for  the 
part  he  played  that  day.  Wheeling  toward  the  men,  he 
cheered  them  to  the  charge,  and  made  at  the  hill  like  a  bold- 
riding  hunter;  they  were  out  of  the  rifle-pits  and  into  the 
tempest  and  struggling  up  the  steep,  before  you  could  get 
breath  to  tell  it,  and  so  they  were  throughout  the  inspired 
line. 

"And  now  you  have  before  you  one  of  the  most  startling 
episodes  of  the  war;  I  can  not  render  it  in  words;  diction 
aries  are  beggarly  things.  But  I  may  tell  you  they  did  not 
storm  that  mountain  as  you  would  think.  They  dash  out  a 
little  way,  and  then  slacken  ;  they  creep  up,  hand  over  hand, 
loading  and  firing,  and  wavering  and  halting,  from  the  first 
line  of  works  to  the  second ;  they  burst  into  a  charge  with  a 
cheer,  and  go  over  it.  Sheets  of  flame  baptize  them  ;  plung 
ing  shot  tear  away  comrades  on  left  and  right ;  it  is  no 
longer  shoulder  to  shoulder;  it  is  GOD  for  us  all!  Under 
the  tree-trunks,  among  rocks,  stumbling  over  the  dead, 
struggling  with  the  living,  facing  the  steady  fire  of  eight 
thousand  infantry  poured  down  on  their  heads  as  if  it  were 
the  old  historic  curse  from  heaven,  they  wrestle  with  the 
ridge.  Ten,  fifteen,  twenty  minutes  go  by  like  a  reluctant 
century.  The  batteries  roll  like  a  drum ;  between  the 
second  and  last  lines  of  rebel  works  is  the  torrid  zone  of  the 
battle ;  the  hill  sways  up  like  a  Avail  before  them  at  an  angle 
of  forty-five  degrees,  but  our  brave  mountaineers  are  clam- 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  229 

bering  steadily  on — up — upward  still !  You  may  think  it 
strange,  but  I  would  not  have  recalled  them  if  I  could. 
They  would  have  lifted  you,  as  they  did  me,  in  full  view  of 
the  heroic  grandeur :  they  seemed  to  be  spurning  the  dull 
earth  under  their  feet,  and  going  up  to  do  Homeric  battle 
with  the  greater  gods. 

"The  race  of  the  flags  is  growing  every  moment  more 
terrible.  There  at  the  right,  a  strange  thing  catches  the 
eye  ;  one  of  the  inverted  V's  is  turning  right  side  up.  The 
men  struggling  along  the  converging  lines  to  overtake  the 
flag  have  distanced  it,  and  there  the  colors  are,  sinking  down 
in  the  center  between  the  rising  flanks.  The  line  wavers  like 
a  great  billow  and  up  comes  the  banner  again,  as  if  heaved 
on  a  surge's  shoulder.  The  iron  sledges  beat  on.  Hearts, 
loyal  and  brave,  are  on  the  anvil,  all  the  way  from  base  to 
summit  of  Mission  Ridge,  but  those  dreadful  hammers  never 
intermit.  Swarms  of  bullets  sweeps  the  hill ;  you  can  count 
twenty-eight  balls  in  one  little  tree.  Things  are  growing 
desperate  up  aloft ;  the  rebels  tumble  rocks  upon  the  rising 
line  ;  they  light  fuses  and  roll  shells  down  the  steep  ;  they 
load  the  guns  with  handfuls  of  cartridges  in  their  haste  ; 
and-as  if  there  were  powder  in  the  word,  they  shout  '  Chick  - 
amauga ! '  down  upon  the  mountaineers.  But  it  would  not 
all  do,  and  just  as  the  sun,  weary  of  the  scene,  was  sinking 
out  of 'sight,  with  magnificent  bursts  all  along  the  line,  ex 
actly  as  you  have  seen  the  crested  seas  leap  up  at  the  break 
water,  the  advance  surged  over  the  crest,  and  in  a  minute 
those  flags  fluttered  along  the  fringe  where  fifty  rebel  guns 
were  kenneled.  GOD  bless  the  flag  !  GOD  save  "the  Union  ! 

"As  Sheridan  rode  up  to  the  guns,  the  heels  of  Breckin- 
ridge's  horse  glittered  in  the  last  rays  of  sunshine.  That 
crest  was  hardly  'well  off  with  the  old  love  before  it  was  en 
with  the  new.' 


230  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

"  But  the  scene  on  the  narrow  plateau  can  never  be  painted. 
As  the  blue  coats  surged  over  its  edge,  cheer  on  cheer  rang 
like  bells  through  the  valley  of  the  Chickamauga.  Men  flung 
themselves  exhausted  upon  the  ground.  They  laughed  and 
wept,  shook  hands,  embraced;  turned  round  and  did  all  four 
over  again.  It  was  as  wild  as  a  carnival.  Granger  was  re 
ceived  with  a  shout.  'Soldiers/  said  he,  'you  ought  to  be 
court-martialed  every  man  of  you.  I  ordered  you  to  take 
the  rifle-pits  and  you  scaled  the  mountain ! '  but  it  was  not 
Mars'  horrid  front  exactly  with  which  he  said  it,  for  his 
cheeks  were  wet  with  tears  as  honest  as  the  blood  that  red 
dened  all  the  route.  Wood  uttered  words  that  rang  like 
'Napoleon's,'  and  Sheridan,  the  rowels  at  his  horse's  flanks, 
was  ready  for  a  dash  down  the  ridge  with  a  '  view  halloo,' 
for  a  fox  hunt. 

''But  you  must  not  think  that  this  was  all  there  was  of 
the  scene  on  the  crest,  for  fight  and  frolic  was  strangely 
mingled.  Not  a  rebel  had  dreamed  a  man  of  us  all  would 
live  to  reach  the  summit,  and  when  a  little  wave  of  the  Fed 
eral  cheer  rolled  up  and  broke  over  the  crest,  they  defiantly 
cried,  'Hurrah,  arid  be  damned!'  the  next  minute  a  Union 
regiment  followed  the  voice,  the  rebels  delivered  their  fire, 
and  tumbled  down  in  their  rifle-pits,  their  faces  distorted 
with  fear.  No  sooner  had  the  soldiers  scrambled  to  the 
ridge  and  straightened  themselves,  than  up  muskets  and 
away  they  blazed.  One  of  them,  fairly  beside  himself  be 
tween  laughing  and  crying,  seemed  puzzled  at  which  end  of 
his  piece  he  should  load,  and  so  abandoning  the  gun  and  the 
problem  together,  he  made  a  catapult  of  himself  and  fell  to 
hurling  stones  after  the  enemy.  And  he  said  as  he  threw — 
Well,  you  know  our  '  army  swore  terribly  in  Flanders.'  Bay 
onets  glinted  and  muskets  rattled.  General  Sheridan's  horse 
•was  killed  under  him ;  Richard  was  not  in  his  role,  and  so 
he  leaped  upon  a  rebel  gun  for  want  of  another.  Rebel  ar- 


LIFE    OF   GRANT. 


231 


tillerists  are  driven  from  their  batteries  at  the  edge  of  the 
sword  and  the  point  of  the  bayonet ;  two  rebel  guns  are 
swung  round  upon  their  old  masters.  But  there  is  nobody  to 
load  them.  Light  and  heavy  artillery  do  not  belong  to  the 
winged  kingdom.  Two  infantry  men  claiming  to  be  old  ar 
tillerists,  volunteer.  Granger  turns  captain  of  the  guns, 
and— right  about  wheel !— in  a  moment  they  are  growling  after 
the  flying  enemy.  I  say  'flying,'  but  that  is  figurative. 
The  many  run  like  Spanish  merinos,  but  the  few  fight  like 
gray  wolves  at  bay  ;  they  load  and  fire  as  they  retreat;  they 
are  fairly  scorched  out  of  position. 

"A  sharpshooter,  fancying  Granger  to  be  worth  the  pow 
der,  coolly  tries  his  hand  at  him.  The  general  hears  the  zip 
of  a  ball  at  one  ear,  but  does  n't  mind  it.  In  a  minute  away 
it  sings  at  the  other.  He  takes  the  hint,  sweeps  with  his 
glass  the  direction  whence  the  couple  came,  and  brings  up 
the  marksman,  just  drawing  a  bead  upon  him  again.  At 
that  instant  a  Federal  argument  persuades  the  cool  hunter, 
and  down  he  goes.  That  long  range  gun  of  his  was  cap 
tured,  weighed  twenty-four  pounds,  was  telescope-mounted, 
a  sort  of  mongrel  howitzer. 

"A  colonel  is  slashing  away  with  his  saber  in  a  ring  of 
rebels.  Down  goes  his  horse  under  him ;  they  have  him 
on  the  hip;  one  of  them  is  taking  deliberate  aim,  when 
up  rushes  a  lieutenant,  claps  a  pistol  to  one  ear  arid  roars 
in  at  the  other,  'Who  the  h— 1  are  you  shooting  at?'  The 
fellow  drops  his  piece,  gasps  out,  'I  surrender,'  and  the  next 
instant  the  gallant  lieutenant  falls  sharply  wounded.  He  is 
a  'roll  of  honor'  officer,  straight  up  from  the  ranks,  and  he 
honors  the  roll. 

"A  little  German,  in  Wood's  division,  is  pierced  like  the 
lid  of  a  pepper-box,  but  he  is  neither  dead  nor  wounded. 
c  See  here,'  he  says,  rushing  up  to  a  comrade,  '  a  pullet  hit 
te  preach  of  mine  gun— a  pullet  in  mine  pocket-book— a 


232 


LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


pullet  in  mine  coat  tail;  they  shoots  me  tree,  five  times,  and 
py  tarn  I  gives  dern  h — 1  jet !  ' 

"But  I  can  render  you  no  idea  of  the  battle  caldron  that 
boiled  on  the  plateau.  An  incident  here  and  there  I  have 
given  you,  and  you  must  fill  out  the  picture  for  yourself. 
Dead  rebels  lay  thick  around  Bragg's  head-quarters  and 
along  the  ridge.  Scabbards,  broken  arms,  artillery  horses, 
wrecks  of  gun  carriages,  and  bloody  garments,  strewed  the 
scene;  and,  tread  lightly,  oh!  loyal-hearted,  the  boys  in  blue 
are  lying  there;  no  more  the  sounding  charge,  no  more  the 
brave,  wild  cheer,  and  never  for  them,  sweet  as  the  breath 
of  the  the  new-mown  hay  in  the  old  home  fields,  'The  Sol 
dier's  Return  from  the  War.'  A  little  waif  of  a  drummer- 
boy,  somehow  drifted  up  the  mountain  in  the  surge,  lies 
there;  his  pale  face  upward,  a  blue  spot  on  his  breast. 
Muffle  his  drum  for  the  poor  child  and  his  mother. 

"Our  troops  met  one  loyal  welcome  on  the  height.  How 
the  old  Tennesseean  that  gave  it  managed  to  get  there,  no 
body  knows;  but  there  he  was,  grasping  a  colonel's  hand, 
and  saying,  while  the  tears  ran  down  his  face,  '  GOD  be 
thanked  !  I  knew  the  Yankees  would  fight ! '  With  the 
receding  flight  and  swift  pursuit  the  battle  died  away  in 
murmurs,  far  down  the  valley  of  the  Chickamauga;  Sheridan 
was  again  in  the  saddle,  and  with  his  command  spurring  on 
after  the  enemy.  Tall  columns  of  smoke  were  rising  at  the 
left.  The  rebels  were  burning  a  train  of  stores  a  mile  long. 
In  the  exploding  rebel  caissons  we  had  '  the  cloud  by  day/ 
and  now  we  are  having  <  the  pillar  of  fire  by  night/  The 
sun,  the  golden  dish  of  the  scales  that  balance  day  and 
night,  had  hardly  gone  down,  when  up,  beyond  Mission 
Itidge,  rose  the  silver  side,  for  that  night  it  was  full  moon. 
The  troubled  day  was  done.  A  Federal  general  sat  in  the 
seat  of  the  man  who,  on  the  very  Saturday  before  the  bat 
tle,  had  sent  a  flag  to  the  Federal  lines  with  the  words: 


LIFE    OF    OiiA.NT.  -38 

4  Humanity  would  dictate  the  removal  of  all  non-combatants 
from  Chattanooga,  as  I  am  about  to  shell  the  city ! ' : 

Bragg  left- the  house  in  which  he  had  held  his  head 
quarters,  and  rode  to  the  rear,  as  our  troops  crowded  the 
hill  on  either  side  of  him.  General  Grant  proceeded  to  the 
summit,  and  then  only  did  we  know  its  height.  At  the  sight 
of  their  beloved  chieftain,  who  was  now  to  inscribe  "Chatta 
nooga"  upon  the  banner  already  blazoned  with  the  glorious 
names  of  "Donelson"  and  of  "Vicksburg,"  the  soldiers 
raised  a  shout  which  reached  the  ears  of  the  rejoicing  thou 
sands  in  the  city  below,  and  which  added  new  speed  to  the  foot 
steps  of  the  fugitives,  who  in  the  most  rapid  flight  alone 
could  hope  for  safety.  "  There  is  nothing  in  this  world," 
said  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  "more  dreadful  than  a  great 
victory,  except  a  great  defeat."  This  victory  cost  four 
thousand  Union  men,  in  killed  and  wounded. 

Grant  captured  at  Chattanooga  six  thousand  prisoners, 
forty  guns,  seven  thousand  stand  of  small  arms,  and  a  great 
quantity  of  ammunition. 

General  Meigs,  writing  to  the  Secretary  of  War  from  the 
battle-field,  says:  "Probably  not  so  well  directed,  so  well 
ordered  a  battle  has  takeji  place  during  the  war.  But  one 
assault  was  repulsed;  but  that  assault,  by  calling  to  that 
point  the  rebel  reserves,  prevented  them  repulsing  any  of 
the  others."  The  strength  of  the  rebellion  in  the  center  is 
-broken.  Burnside  is  relieved  from  danger  in  East  Ten 
nessee.  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  are  rescued.  Georgia 
and  the  south-east  are  threatened  in  the  rear,  and  another 
victory  is  added  to  the  chapter  of  "  Unconditional  Surrender 
Grant"  Without  waiting  to  rest  for  a  moment,  Grant  or 
dered  the  pursuit  of  the  enemy  to  begin,  and  early  the  next 
morning  sent  Sherman  with  his  corps  to  the  relief  of  Burn- 
side  at  Knoxville. 

Hooker    and   Palmer   marched    on  the   Rossville  road  to 


234  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

White  Oak  Ridge  and  Taylor's  Ridge,  where  they  found  a 
strong  rebel  force  under  Cleburne  posted  in  ambush.  A 
severe  action  ensued,  in  which  the  rebels  were  .badly  beaten. 

Sherman's  column  marched  to  Ringgold,  where  Davis' 
division  came  upon  the  enemy.  Our  advance  was  driven 
back,  but  Osterhaus  and  Geary  were  ordered  up,  and  soon 
turned  the  tide  of  battle  in  favor  of  the  Union  arms.  The 
rebels  lost  one  hundred  and  thirty  killed.  Two  pieces  of 
artillery  and  two  hundred  and  thirty  prisoners,  mostly 
wounded,  were  taken  by  the  Union  troops.  Our  loss  was 
sixty  killed  and  three  hundred  and  seventy  wounded.  This 
brilliant  little  fight  was  the  last  one  in  which  General  Grant 
was  personally  engaged  in  the  West,  and  he  signalized  it 
by  the  most  heroic  conduct.  From  the  beginning  to  the 
close  of  the  action  he  was  under  fire,  and  in  person  directed 
the  movement  of  the  troops.  One  of  his  staff  officers, 
writing  soon  after  the -battle  to  a  friend,  says  in  his  letter: 

"  It  has  been  a  matter  of  universal  wonder  in  this  army 
that  General  Grant  himself  was  not  killed,  and  that  no  more 
accidents  occurred  to  his  staff;  for  the  General  was  always 
in  the  front  (his  staff  with  him,  of  course),  and  perfectly 
heedless  of  the  storm  of  hissing  bullets  and  screaming  shell 
flying  around  him.  His  apparent  want  of  sensibility  does 
not  arise  from  heedlessness,  heartlessness,  or  vain  military 
affectation,  but  from  a  sense  of  the  responsibility  resting 
upon  him  when  in  battle.  When  at' Ringgold,  we  rode  for 
half  a  mile  in  the  face  of  the  enemy,  under  an  incessant 
fire  of  cannon  and  musketry  ;  nor  did  we  ride  fast,  but 
upon  an  ordinary  trot;  and  not  once  do  I  believe  did  it 
enter  the  General's  mind  that  he  was  in  danger.  I  was  by 
his  side,  and  watched  him  closely.  In  riding  that  distance 
we  were  going  to  the  front,  and  I  could  see  that  he  -was 
studying  the  positions  of  the  two  armies,  and  of  course, 
planning  how  to  defeat  the  enemy,  who  was  here  making 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  235 

a  most  desperate  stand,  and  was  slaughtering  our  men  fear- 
fully." 

Grant  was  naturally  very  anxious  about  Burnside.  That 
General  had  sent  Grant  word  that  his  supplies  would  only 
last  until  the  3d  day  of  December,  and  that  Knoxville  could 
not  be  abandoned.  It  was  now  near  the  end  of  November, 
and  Grant  sent  Granger  word  to  hasten  to  Knoxville  ;  but 
Granger  not  going  fast  enough  for  the  sleepless  anxiety  of 
Grant,  Sherman  was  ordered  to  supersede  him  and  push  on 
day  and  night  until  he  reached  the  beleaguered  city. 

It  was  now  a  race  between  the  Union  troops  and  famine, 
which  should  get  to  Knoxville  first,  and  the  Union  troops 
won. 

Longstreet,  hearing  that  Sherman  was  coming  down  upon 
him  with  the  speed  of  a  race-horse,  ordered  the  bayonets 
to  be  fixed  and  the  works  assaulted  at  once.  The  attack 
was  gallantly  repulsed,  and  Sherman  sent  a  note  to  Burn- 
side  to  hold  on,  that  he  was  coming  by  forced  marches 
with  twenty-five  thousand  men  and  would  fall  upon  Long- 
street's  rear.  Longstreet  did  not  wait  for  him,  however, 
but  raised  the  siege  and  precipitately  retreated  toward 
Virginia. 

On  the  5th  of  December,  just  two  days  after  Burnside 
had  declared  his  rations  would  give  out,  Sherman  arrived 
at  Marysville,  one  day's  march  from  Knoxville,  and  sent 
Burnside  the  following  note  : 

"I  am  here,  and  can  bring  twenty-five  thousand  men  into 
Knoxville  to-morrow.  But,  Longstreet  having  retreated,  I 
feel  disposed  to  stop,  for  a  stern  chase  is  a  long  one.  But 
I  will  do  all  that  is  possible.  Without  you  specify  that  you 
want  troops,  I  will  let  mine  rest  to-morrow,  and  ride  to  see 
you."  On  the  morning  of  the  7th,  the  commands  of  Potter 
and  Manson  started  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy,  but  failed  to 
come  up  with  any  but  small  parties;  and  thus  ended  the 


23G  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

most  brilliant  campaign  since  the  days  of  Napoleon.  On 
the  8th,  President  Lincoln  sent  the  following  dispatch  to 
General  Grant : 

"  Understanding  that  your  lodgment  at  Chattanooga  and 
at  Knoxville  is  now  secure,  I  wish  to  tender  you,  and  all 
under  your  command,  my  more  than  thanks,  my  profound- 
est  gratitude,  for  the  skill,  courage,  and  perseverance  with 
which  you  and  they,  over  so  great  difficulties,  have  effected 
that  important  object.  God  bless  you  all!" 

On  the  10th  of  December,  General  Grant,  having  returned 
to  his  head-quarters  at  Chattanooga,  issued  to  his  troops 
the  following  congratulatory  order : 

"  HEAD-QUARTERS  MILITARY  DIVISION  OF  THE         \ 
"Mississippi,  IN  THE  FIELD,  I 

"CHATTANOOGA,  TENNESSEE,  Dec.  10,  ]863.  j 
"  [General  Orders,  No.  9.] 

"The  General  commanding  takes  this  opportunity  of  re 
turning  his  sincere  thanks  and  congratulations  to  the  brave 
armies  of  the  Cumberland,  the  Ohio,  the  Tennessee,  and 
their  comrades  from  the  Potomac,  for  the  recent  splendid 
and  decisive  successes  achieved  over  the  enemy.  In  a  short 
time  you  have  recovered  from  him  the  control  of  the  Ten 
nessee  River  from  Bridgeport  to  Knoxville.  You  dislodged 
him  from  his  great  stronghold  upon  Lookout  Mountain, 
drove  him  from  Chattanooga  Valley,  wrested  from  his  deter 
mined  grasp  the  possession  of  Mission  Ridge,  repelled  with 
heavy  loss  to  him  his  repeated  assaults  upon  Knoxville, 
forcing  him  to  raise  the  siege  there,  driving  him  at  all 
points,  utterly  routed  and  discomfited,  beyond  the  limits 
of  the  State.  By  your  noble  heroism  and  determined  cour 
age,  you  have  most  effectually  defeated  the  plans  of  the 
enemy  for  regaining  possession  of  the'  States  of  Kentucky 
and  Tennessee.  You  have  secured  positions  from  which  no 
rebellious  power  can  drive  or  dislodge  you.  For  all  this 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  237 

the  General  commanding  thanks  you  collectively  and  indi 
vidually.  The  loyal  people  of  the  United  States  thank  and 
bless  you.  Their  hopes  and  prayers  for  your  success 
against  this  unholy  rebellion  are  with  you  daily.  Their 
faith  in  you  will  not  be  in  vain.  Their  hopes  will  not  be 
blasted.  Their  prayers  to  Almighty  God  will  be  answered. 
You  will  yet  go  to  other  fields  of  strife  ;  and  with  the  in 
vincible  bravery  and  unflinching  loyalty  to  justice  and  right 
which  have  characterized  you  in  the  past,  you  will  prove 
that  no  enemy  can  withstand  you,  and  that  no  defenses, 
however  formidable,  can  check  your  onward  march.  J 
"By  order  of  Major-General  U.  S.  GRANT." 

"T.  S.  BOWERS,  A.  A.  G." 

We  'seldom  have  a  more  striking  exemplification  of  the 
power  of  the  mind  triumphing  over  the  body,  than  General 
Grant  presented  during  these  hours  of  exhausting  care  and  toil. 
He  w-as  then  in  feeble  health,  still  severely  suffering  from  his 
fall  at  New  Orleans.  He  was  so  emaciated,  and  walked  so 
feebly,  that  many  feared  he  would  never  recover.  Still, 
with  all  this  bodily  languor  and  suffering,  his  mind  retained 
its  accustomed  energies,  and  he  worked  as  indefatigably  as 
if  in  the  enjoyment  of  vigorous  health. 

A  woman,  who  resided  upon  the  plateau  of  Missionary 
Ridge,  said  to  one  of  6*ur  generals:  "Before  you  all  came 
up  here,  I  asked  General  Bragg,  'What  are  you  going  to 
do  with  me,  general?'  He  said  to  me,  'Lord!  madam,  the 
Yankees  will  never  dare  to  come  up  here.'  And  it  was  not 
fifteen  minutes  till  you  were  all  around  here." 

During  the  dark  days  of  the  siege,  when  food  and  forage 
were  scarce,  arid  the  ghastly  corpses  and  bleached  skele 
tons  of  starved  mules  lined  the  thoroughfares  thereabouts, 
General  Grant  and  Quartermaster-General  Meigs  arrived  in 
Chattanooga.  Taking  an  airing  on  horseback  one  afternoon, 


238  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

they  passed  the  carcass  of  a  huge  mule  lying  by  the  road 
side,  whose  "ill-savor  went  up"  before  and  around  them. 
The  hero  of  Vicksburg  removed  his  brier-root  from  his  lips, 
and  remarked  sorrowfully,  "Ah,  General!  there  lies  a  dead 
soldier  of  the  Quartermaster's  Department."  "  Yes,  Gene 
ral,"  replied  the  Quartermaster-General,  in  subdued  tones, 
"  in  him  you  see  the  *  ruling  passion  strong  in  death '  ex 
emplified,  for  the  old  veteran  has  already  assumed  the  of 
fensive." 

General  Grant,  unlike  most  of  our  great  Generals,  never 
made  a  show  of,  himself.  A  correspondent,  writing  about 
his  personal  habits  in  the  army,  says  : 

"  Another  feature  in  General  Grant's  personal  movements 
is  that  he  requires  no  escort  beyond  his  staff,  so  regardless 
of  danger  is  he.  Roads  are  almost  useless  to  him,  for  he 
takes  short  cuts  through  fields  and  woods,  and  will  swim  his 
horse  through  almost  any  stream  that  obstructs  his  way. 
Nor  does  it  make  any  difference  to  him  whether  he  has  day 
light  for  his  movements,  for  he  will  ride  from  breakfast  until 
two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  arid  that  too  without  eating. 
The  next  day  he  will  repeat  the  dose,  until  he  finishes  his 
work.  Now  such  things  come  hard  upon  the  staff,  but  they 
have  learned  how  to  bear  it." 


LIFE    OF    QUANT.  239 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

GRANT'S  VICTORIES— VOTE  OF  THANKS  BY  CONGRESS— BILL  TO  REVIVE  THE 

GRADE  OF  LIEUTENANT-GENERAL— A  MEDAL  GIVEN  HIM— APPOINTED 
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL  AND  ASSUMES  COMMAND  OF  THE  ARMY — HONORS 
TO  GENERAL  GRANT— HE  RECEIVES  VALUABLE  PRESENTS— THE  OLD  SOL- 
DIER'S  GIFT— GRANT  VISITS  NASHVILLE  AND  KNOXVILLE— CROSSES  THE 

CUMBERLAND  MOUNTAINS  ON  HORSEBACK HIS  RECEPTION  AT  LEXINGTON, 

KENTUCKY— VISIT  TO  LOUISVILLE HONORS  AT  MEMPHIS A  GRAND  DIN 
NER—SERENADE  TO  GRANT,  AND  HIS  SPEECHES— GRANT  LEAVES  THE 
WEST— HIS  LETTER  TO  SHERMAN,  AND  SHERMAN'S  REPLY— HIS  VISIT  TO 
WASHINGTON THE  PRESIDENT  PRESENTS  HIM  HIS  COMMISSION  AS  LIEU 
TENANT-GENERAL. 

WHEN  the  news  of  General  Grant's  great  victories  reached 
the  country,  there  was  general  rejoicing,  and  President  Lin 
coln  recommended  the  people  to  assemble  in  their  places 
of  worship  and  give  thanks  to  Almighty  God  for  the  great 
advancement  vouchsafed  the  Union  Cause.  Grant  was 
every-where  praised  for  his  skill  as  a  commander,  and  Mr. 
Washburn,  yielding  to  the  national  wish,  as  soon  as  Con 
gress  assembled,  rose  and  offered  a  bill  "to  revive  the  grade 
of  Lieutenant-General  of  the  army,"  and  another  "  to  pro 
vide  that  a  medal  be  struck  for  General  Grant,  and  that  a 
vote  of  thanks  be  given  him  and  the  officers  of  his  army." 
Both  bills  passed,  and  were  signed  by  the  President,  the 
first  on  the  17th  of  December,  1863,  and  the  second  on  the 
1st  of  March,  1864. 

The  medal,  the  tribute  of  a  nation's  admiration,  was  de 
signed  by  Leutze.  On  one  side  there  was  a  profile  like- 


240  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

ness  of  General  Grant,  surrounded  by  a  laurel  wreath. 
His  name,  and  the  year  of  his  victories,  were  inscribed  upon 
it;  and  the  whole  was  surrounded  by  a  galaxy  of  stars. 
On  the^  opposite  side  was  the  figure  of  Fame,  gracefully 
seated  on  .the  American  Eagle,  which,  with  outspread  wings, 
seemed  preparing  for  flight.  In  her  right  hand  she  held 
the  symbolical  trumpet.  With  her  left  hand  she  presented  a 
scroll,  on  which -were  inscribed  the  names  of  Corinth,  Vicks- 
barg,  Mississippi  River,  and  Chattanooga.  On  her  head 
there  was  a  helmet,  ornamented  in  Indian  fashion,  with 
feathers  radiating  from  it.  In  front  of  the  eagle,  its  breast 
resting  against  it,  was  the  emblematical  shield  of  the  United 
States;  beneath  were  sprigs  of  pine  and  palm  twined  to 
gether,  indicative  of  the  union  of  the  North  and  South. 
Over  all,  in  a  curved  line,  were  the  words,  "  Proclaim  lib 
erty  throughout  all  the  land." 

The  medal  was  accompanied  by  the  resolution  of  thanks 
passed  by  Congress,  beautifully  engrossed  on  parchment. 
In  accordance  with  the  design  of  the  bill  passed  by  Con 
gress,  President  Lincoln,  on  the  10th  day  of  March,  issued 
the  following  executive  order : 

"EXECUTIVE  MANSION,  WASHINGTON,  March  10,  1864. 

"Under  the  authority  of  the  act  of  Congress  to  appoint 
to  the  grade  of  lieutenant  general  in  the  army,  of  March 
1,  1864,  Lieutenant-General  Ulysses  S.  Grant,  United  States 
Army,  is  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  armies  of  the 
United  States.  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN." 

This  order  was  forwarded  by  a  courier  to  Nashville, 
where  General  Grant  then  was,  and  on  the  17th  of  March, 
he  issued  the  following  brief  response  : 

"HEAD-QUARTERS  ARMIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,      j 
"NASHVILLE,  TENN.,  March  17,  1864.} 

"In  pursuance  of  the  order  of  the  President,  I  assume 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  241 

command  of  the  armies  of  the  United  States.  Head-quarters 
will  be  in  the  field,  and  until  further  orders,  will  be  with  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  There  will  be  an  office  head-quar 
ters  in  Washington,  to  which  all  official  communications 
will  be  sent,  except  those  from  the  army  where  the  head 
quarters  are  at  the  date  of  their  address. 

"U.  S.  GRANT,  Lieutenant- General" 

In  the  meantime,  General  Grant  had  been  enjoying  great 
honors  and  hospitalities  at  the  hands  of  his  fellow-citizens. 
Colleges,  religious  and  literary  societies  had  hastened  to 
elect  him  an  honorary  member,  and  tenders  of  dinners,  re 
ceptions,  and  ovations  were  pouring  in  upon  him  from  all 
quarters.  The  Rev.  F.  Marlay,  Secretary  of  the  Missionary 
Society  of  Cincinnati,  wrote  him  he  had  been  elected  an 
honorary  member  of  that  body,  and  Grant  replied : 

"  CHATTANOOGA,  Dec.  7,  1863. 
"Rev.  F.  Marlay,  Secretary  Society: 

"  DEAR  SIR  :  Through  you  permit  me  to  express  my 
thanks  to  the  society  of  which  you  are  the  honored  secre 
tary,  for  the  compliment  they  have  seen  fit  to  pay  me  by 
electing  me  one  of  its  members. 

"I  accept  the  election  as  a  token  of  earnest  support,  by 
members  of  the  Methodist  Missionary  Society  of  the  Cin 
cinnati  Conference,  to  the  cause  of  our  country  in  this  hour 
of  trial. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  truly, 
"Your  obedient  servant, 

"U.  S.  GRANT,  Major-General  U.  S.  A.'* 

Rev.  Dr.  Dunn,  of  Norristown,  New  Jersey,  wrote  Grant: 
"  To  Major-General  U.  S.  Grant: 

"DEAR  SIR:  I  have  the  pleasure  of  informing  you  that 
16 


242  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

the  church  of  which  I  am  pastor,  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  of  this  town,  highly  appreciating  your  services  for 
your  country,  and  rejoicing  in  the  victories  which  God  has 
wrought  out  through  you  and  your  noble  army,  and  praying 
that  you  may  be  spared  to  see  the  end  of  this  accursed  re 
bellion,  have  contributed  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars 
($150)  "to  constitute  you  a  life  director  of  the  Missionary 
Society  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  Will  you  please  direct  where 
we  shall  send  your  certificate  ?  May  God  Almighty  bless 
and  keep  you,  and  continue  to  crown  your  arms  with  victory 
and  triumph !  " 

Grant  promptly  replied  through  a  staff  officer : 
"In  reply  to  your  letter  of  December  19th,  to  Major- 
General  U.  S.  Grant,  he  directs  me  to  express  his  gratitude 
to  the  people  of  Norristown  for  their  prayerful  remembrance 
of  him  before  the  throne  of  the  Most  High,  and  to  thank 
them,  through  you,  for  the  honor  conferred  upon  him.  Be 
good  enough  to  send  his  certificate  of  membership  to  Mrs. 
U.  S.  Grant,  Louisville,  Kentucky. 

"  J.  H.  WILSON." 

% 

A  beautiful  pair  of  revolvers  were  made  for  him  by 
Colt's  manufactory.  The  handles  were  of  black  horn,  beau 
tifully  polished,  and  the  barrels,  magazines,  and  other  steel 
parts  elaborately  inlaid  with  pure  gold,  \vhich  was  beaten 
into  a  design  previously  cut  out  of  the  steel.  The  other 
ornaments,  guard,  etc.,  were  of  a  solid  gold.  The  pair 
were  enclosed  in  a  handsome  rosewood-box,  lined  with 
velvet,  and  accompanied  by  all  the  tools,  etc.,  belonging  to 
them — the  cartridge-boxes,  etc.,  being  manufactured  of 
silver. 

The  Legislature  of  Ohio  passed  and  forwarded  to  him 
the  following  resolution : 

"Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  people  of  this  State 
be  tendered  to  General  Grant  and  his  army  for  their  glo- 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  243 

rious  victories  in  the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi,  and  the 
still  more  glorious  victory  of  Missionary  Ridge  and  Look 
out  Mountain,  and  that  a  certified  copy  of  this  resolution 
be  forwarded  to  General  Grant." 

New  York,  Pennsylvania,  and  other  States  passed  him 
votes  of  thanks.  Grant  hats,  coats,  vests,  cigars,  pipes,  and 
knives  were  made  in  abundance,  and  mothers  every-where 
began  to  call  their  male  children  Grant.  Of  all  the  presents 
and  honors  he  received,  there  is  one  that  he  refers  to  with 
more  pleasure  than  the  rest.  It  is  a  fine  brier-wood  cigar- 
case,  made  for  him  with  a  pocket-knife,  and  presented  by 
a  poor  soldier,  who  said  he  gave  it  "  because  he  loved  his 
old  gineral,  and  wanted  him  to  sometimes  think  of  him." 
The  old  soldier  is  remembered. 

General  Grant,  before  leaving  the  Army  of  the  West, 
determined  to  make  a  tour  of  inspection.  Every-where  he 
was  received  with  the  wildest  enthusiasm  by  both  citizens 
and  soldiers.  He  visited  Nashville  and  Knoxville,  and  from 
there  passed  over  the  Cumberland  Mountains  on  horseback. 
It  was  the  severest  days  in  midwinter,  and  often  he  was 
compelled  to  walk  on  'foot.  His  object  was  to  test  the 
passability  of  the  roads  for  troops.  Traveling  through 
Barboursville,  London,  and  Danville,  he  reached  Lexington 
in  safety.  Notwithstanding  the  deep  snow  and  bitter  cold 
weather,  crowds  every-where  turned  out  to  see  the  hero 
pass  by,  and,  at  Lexington,  he^was  met  with  a  spontaneous 
reception  from  the  citizens. 

The  town  was  crowded  with  the  country  visitors,  and 
nothing  would  satisfy  them  but  a  speech.  The  General, 
however,  contented  himself  with  making  his  appearance. 
The  people  insisted  on  his  getting  upon  a  chair,  that  lie 
might  be  seen  to  better  advantage,  and,  half  pushed  by 
General  Leslie  Coombs,  General  Grant  mounted  the  impro 
vised  rostrum.  General  Coombs  then  introduced  him  in  a 


244  LIFE   OF    GRANT. 

neat  little  speech,  in  which  he  said  that  "General  Grant 
had  told  him  in  confidence — and  he  would  not  repeat  it — 
that  he  never  had  made  a  speech,  knew  nothing  about 
speech-making,  and  had  no  disposition  to  learn."  After 
satisfying  the  curiosity  of  the  people,  but  without  ever 
having  opened  his  mouth,  General  Grant  dismounted  from 
his  chair  and  retired,  amid  the  cheers  of  the  assemblage. 

From  Lexington  he  went  to  Louisville.  His  arrival  at 
the  Gait  House  was  not  generally  known,  and  few  who  had 
not  looked  at  the  books  suspected  that  the  little  man  in 
faded  blue  overcoat,  with  heavy  red  whiskers  and  keen, 
bright  eyes,  the  hero  of  the  two  rebel  Gibraltars  of  Vicks- 
burg  and  Chattanooga,  stood  before  them.  The  people  had 
been  so  used  to  brilliantly-dressed  and  cleanly-shaven  staff- 
officers,  with  star  or  double  star,  that  they  never  dreamed 
of  recognizing  in  the  blue  overcoated  men  who  figured  in 
the  scene  with  him,  the  admirable  and  hard-working  staff- 
officers  who  have  aided  in  no  little  degree  to  General 
Grant's  success. 

On  the  26th  of  January  General  Grant  visited  St.  Louis 
to  see  a  sick  child.  He  went  quietly  to»  the  hotel  and 
recorded  his  name  U.  S.  Grant,  -Chattanooga.  Visitors  to 
the  hotel,  on  looking  over  the  register,  as  their  eyes  fell 
on  those  significant  initials,  were  startled,  and  it  was  con 
sidered  by  many  a  joke.  It  soon  became  noised  about, 
however,  that  the  great  General  was  indeed  in  the  city, 
and  a  large  crowd  assembled  in  and  about  the  house.  A 
letter  tendering  a  public  dinner  was  sent  him,  arid  Grant 
immediately  replied : 

"ST.  Louis,  Mo.,  January  27,  1864. 
"Colonel  John  0>  Fa!lan}  Hon.  John  Howe,  and  citizens  of  St.  Louis: 

"  GENTLEMEN:  Your  highly  complimentary  invitation 
'to  meet  old  acquaintances  arid  make  new  ones/  at  a 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  245 

dinner  to  be  given  by  citizens  of  St.  Louis  is  just  received. 
I  will  state  that  I  have  only  visited  St.  Louis  on  this 
occasion  to  see  a  sick  child.  Finding,  however,  that  he  has 
passed  the  crisis  of  his  disease,  and  is  pronounced  out  of 
danger  by  his  physicians,  I  accept  the  invitation.  My  stay 
in  this  city  will  be  short — probably  not  beyond  the  1st 
proximo.  On  to-morrow  I  shall  be  engaged.  Any  other 
day  of  my  stay  here,  and  any  place  selected  by  the  citizens 
of  St.  Louis,  it  will  be  agreeable  for  me  to  meet  them. 

"I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient 
servant, 

"U.  S.  GRANT,  Major-General  U.  S.  A." 

The  same  evening  he  attended  the  St.  Louis  theater  with 
his  family,  and  was  the  cynosure  of  the  eyes  of  all  around 
him  during  the  whole  of  the  performance.  After  the  fall  of 
the  curtain  upon  the  play  of  Richelieu,  cheers  were  pro 
posed  and  heartily  given  for  the  "famous  military  chieftain." 
The  General  rose  from  his  box  bowing  his  acknowledgments, 
and,  in  response  to  calls,  was  understood  to  say  that  he  had 
never  made  a  speech  in  his  life,  and  never  expected  to. 
Asking  to  be  excused,  he  resumed  his  seat  amid  a  shower 
of  cheers.  The  orchestra  struck  up  "Hail  Columbia,'"' 
followed  by  "Yankee.  Doodle." 

Next  day  the  City  Council  passed  him  a  vote  of  thanks, 
and  the  mayor,  by  order  of  the  municipal  departments, 
tendered  him  the  hospitalities  of  the  city. 

At  his  hotel  Grant  was  overwhelmed  by  the  cordial 
greetings  tendered  him. 

The  lady  inmates  of  the  house  took  possession  of  an 
adjoining  parlor,  through  the  open  door  of  which  they  could 
see  the  General,  and  several  of  his  most  ardent  admirers 
among  the  fair  spectators^  took  the  opportunity  of  his  near 
proximity  to  the  door  in  question  to  obtain  an  introduction. 


246  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

The  dinner  was  a  splendid  affair. . 

Over  two  hundred  guests  met  in  the  spacious  hall  at  the 
Lindell  Hotel,  to  confer  honor  upon  the  distinguished  visitor. 
The  room  was  richly  decorated,  and  General  Grant  was  not 
a  little  embarrassed  by  the  attentions  which  were  lavished 
upon  him.  There  were  three  elegant  tables  spread-  length 
wise  in  the  hall,  provided  abundantly  from  the  larder  of  the 
hotel.  In  the  center  of  the  one  on  the  north  side  were 
seated  the  President  of  the  Committee  of  Citizens,  Judge 
Samuel  Treat,  with  General  Grant  next  on  his  right,  followed 
by  General  Schofield,  Colonel  Leighton,  Colonel  Marcy,  and 
Lieutenant-Governor  Hall.  Next  on  his  left  sat  General 
Rosecrans,  General  Osterhaus,  and  Mr.  F.  Dent,  father-in- 
law  of  the  guest  of  the  evening.  Mr.  Dent  is  a  white- 
haired,  florid,  fine-looking  gentleman,  about  sixty-five  years 
old.  He  resided  in  St.  Louis  County,  on  the  Gravois  road. 
Immediately  opposite  Judge  Treat,  at  the  same  table,  sat 
Judge  Lord,  of  the  Land  Court,  flanked  on  the  left  by 
Major  Dunn,  C.  B.  Hubbell,  Colonel  Merrill,  and  G.  Hoeber; 
and  on  the  right  by  Colonel  Cullender,  Colonel  Myers, 
Colonel  Haines,  and  Major  C.  P.  E.  Johnson. 

At  the  center  of  the  south  table  were  seated  Honorable 
Wayman  Crow,  with  General  McNeil,  General  Fisk,  Gen 
eral  Brown,  General  Totten,  and  General  Gray.  The  re 
maining  guests,  to  the  number  of  two  hundred,  occupied  the 
other  seats  at  the  tables.  The  hall,  superb  in  the  ceiling 
and  wall  colorings  which  embellished  it,  was  further  deco 
rated  by  the  spirited  drapings  of  the  national  flag  from 
each  of  the  arched  windows,  and  presented  a  magnificent 
appearance. 

When  the  toast,  "Our  distinguished  guest,  Major-General 
U.  S.  Grant,"  w^as  given,  the  band  struck  up  "  Hail  to  the 
Chief,"  and  General  Grant  rose,  a^nid  a  storm  of  applause, 
and  said: 


LIFE   OP   GRANT.  247 

"Gentlemen,  in  response  it  will  be  impossible  for  me  to 
do  more  than  to  thank  you."  ^ 

In  the  evening  he  was  serenaded ;  and  an  immense  crowd 
surrounded  the  hotel,  anxious  to  catch  a  sight  of  the  hero, 
and  clamorous  for  a  speech.  After  some  delay,  General 
Grant  stepped  upon  the  balcony,  and  taking  off  his  hat,  in 
the  midst  of  profoundest  silence,  said : 

"  Gentlemen,  I  thank  you  for  this  honor.  I  can  not  make 
a  speech.  It  is  something  I  have  never  done,  and  never 
intend  to  do;  and  I  beg  you  will  excuse  me." 

Loud  cheers  followed  this  brief  address,  at  the  conclu 
sion  of  which  the  General  replaced  his  hat,  took  a  cigar 
from  his  pocket,  lit  it,  and  stood  on  the  balcony  in  the 
presence  of  the  crowd,  puffing  his  Havana  and  watching 
the  rockets  as  they  ascended  and  burst  in  the  air. 

"Speech!  speech!"  vociferated  the  multitude,  and  several 
gentlemen  near  him  urged  the  General  to  say  something  to 
satisfy  the  people,  but  he  declined.  Judge  Lord,  of  the 
Land  Court,  appeared  very  enthusiastic,  and,  placing  his 
hand  on  General  Grant's  shoulder,  said:  "Tell  them  you 
can  fight  for  them,  but  can  't  talk  to  them— do  tell  them 
that !" 

"I  must  get  some  one  else  to  say  that  for  me,"  replied 
the  General;  but  the  multitude  continuing  to  cry  out 
"Speech!  speech!"  he  leaned  over  the  railing,  blew  a 
wreath  of  smoke  from  his  lips,  and  said : 

"Gentlemen,  making  speeches  is  not  my  business.  I 
never  did  it  in  my  life,  and  never  will.  I  thank  you,  how 
ever,  for  your  attendance  here,"  and  with  that  the  General 
retired. 

General  Grant,  after  visiting  the  places  of  public  interest, 
the  universities  and  ladies'  fair,  left  St.  Louis  much  pleased 
with  his  visit,  and  taking  with  him  the  good  wishes  of  all 
loyal  citizens. 


248  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

General  Grant's  work  was  now  done  in  the  West,  and  he 
found  it  his  sad  duto  to  take  leave  of  his  officers  and 
soldiers.  To  Sherman  he  wrote  : 

"DEAR  SHERMAN:  The  bill  reviving  the  grade  of  lieu 
tenant-general  has  become  a  law,  and  my  name  has  been 
sent  to  the  Senate  for  the  place.  I  now  receive  orders  to 
report  to  Washington  immediately  in  person,  which  indicates 
a  confirmation,  or  a  likelihood  of  confirmation.  I  start  in 
the  morning  to  comply  with  the  order. 

"While  I  have  been  eminently  successful  in  this  war,  in 
at  least  gaining  the  confidence  of  the  public,  no  one  feels 
more  than  I  how  much  of  this  success  is  due  to  the  energy, 
skill,  and  the  harmonious  putting  forth  of  that  energ}^  and 
skill,  of  those  whom  it  has  been  my  good  fortune  to  have 
occupying  subordinate  positions  under  me. 

"There  are  many  officers  to  whom  these  remarks  are 
applicable  to  a  greater  or  less  degree,  proportionate  to  their 
ability  as  soldiers ;  but  what  I  want  is  to  express  my  thanks 
to  you  and  McPherson,  as  the  men  to  whom,  above  all 
other's,  I  feel  indebted  for  whatever  I  have  had  of  success. 

"  How  far  your  advice  and  assistance  have  been  of  help 
to  me,  you  know.  How  far  your  execution  of  whatever 
has  been  given  you  to  do,  entitles  you  to  the  reward  I  am 
receiving,  you  can  not  know  as  well  as  I. 

"I  feel  all  the  gratitude  this  letter  would  express,  giving 
it  the  most  flattering  construction.  The  word  you  I  use  in 
the  plural,  intending  it  for  McPherson  also.  I  would 
write  to  him,  and  will  some  day ;  but,  starting  in  the 
morning,  I  do  not  know  that  I  will  find  time  just  now. 

"Your  friend, 

"U.  S.  GRANT." 

This  letter  was  forwarded  to  General  Sherman,  at  Mem 
phis.  His  reply,  on  the  10th  of  March,  is  so  noble,  and 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  249 

so  beautifully  reflects  the  friendship  existing  between  these 
illustrious  men,  "that  we  can  not  refrain  from  giving  it 
entire  : 

"DEAR  GENERAL:  I  have  your  more  than  kind  and 
characteristic  letter  of  the  4th  instant.  I  will  send  a  copy 
to  General  McPherson  at  once. 

"You  do  yourself  injustice,  and  us  too  much  honor,  in 
assigning  to  us  too  large  a  share  of  the  merits  which  have 
led  to  your  high  advancement.  I  know  you  approve  the 
friendship  I  have  ever  proffered  to  you,  and  will  permit 
me  to  continue,  as  heretofore,  to  manifest  it  on  all  proper 
occasions. 

"  You  are  now  Washington's  legitimate  successor,  and 
occupy  a  position  of  almost  dangerous  elevation ;  but  if  you 
can  continue,  as  heretofore,  to  be  yourself — simple,  honest, 
and  unpretending — you  will  enjoy  through  life  the  respect 
and  love  of  friends,  and  the  homage  of  millions  of  human 
beings,  who  will  award  you  a  large. share  in  securing  to 
them  and  their  descendants  a  government  of  law  and  sta 
bility. 

"I. repeat,  you  do  General  McPherson  and  myself  too 
much  honor.  At  •  Belmont  you  manifested  your  traits, 
neither  of  us  being  near.  At  Donelson,  also,  you  illustrated 
your  whole  character.  I  was  not  near,  and  General  Mc 
Pherson  was  in  too  subordinate  a  capacity  to  influence  you. 

"Until  you  had  won  Donelson,  I  confess  I  was  almost 
cowed  by  the  terrible  array  of  anarchical  elements  that 
presented  themselves  at  every  point ;  but  that  admitted  a 
ray  of  light  I  have  followed  since.  I  believe  you  are  as 
brave,  patriotic,  and  just  as  the  great  prototype,  Washing 
ton ;  as  unselfish,  kind-hearted,  and  honest  as  a  man  should 
be ;  but  the  chief  characteristic  is  the  simple  faith  in  success 
you  have  always  manifested,  which  I  can  liken  to  nothing 
else  than  the  faith  a  Christian  has  in  the  Savior. 


250  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

"  This  faith  gave  you  the  victory  at  Shiloh  and  at  Vicks- 
burg.  Also,  when  you  have  completed  your  best  prepara 
tions,  you  go  into  battle  without  hesitation,  as  at  Chatta 
nooga — no  doubts,  no  reserves  ;  and,  I  tell  you,  it  was  this 
which  made  us  act  with  confidence. 

"My  only  point  of  doubt  was  in  your  knowledge  of  grand 
strategy,  and  of  books  of  science  and  of  history;  but  I 
confess  your  common  sense  seems  to  have  supplied  all  these. 

"Now,  as  to  the  future.  Don't  stay  in  Washington. 
Come  West ;  take  to  yourself  the  whole  Mississippi  Valley. 
Let  us  make  it  dead  sure ;  arid,  I  tell  you,  the  Atlantic 
slopes  and"  Pacific  shores  will  follow  its  destiny  as  surely  as 
the  limbs  of  a  tree  live  or  die  with  the  main  trunk.  We 
have  done  much,  but  still  much  remains.  Time,  and  time's 
influence,  are  with  us.  We  could  almost  afford  to  sit  still, 
and  let  these  influences  work. 

"  Here  lies  the  seat  of  the  coming  empire ;  and  from  the 
West,  when  our  task  is  done,  we  will  make  short  work  of 
Charleston  and  Richmond,  and  the  impoverished  coast  of 
the  Atlantic.  "Your  sincere  friend, 

"  W.  T.  SHERMAN." 

On  the  3d  of  March,  General  Grant  received  a  dispatch 
from  Washington  urging  him  to  hasten  his  arrival  there, 
arid  assume  charge  of  his  new  duties.  Abbott,  in  his 
pleasant  book,  thus  records  the  hero's  passage  to  the 
National  Capitol : 

"At  every  depot  crowds  were  gathered  to  catch  a  glimpse 
of  one  whose  achievements  were  so  illustrious,  and  whose 
name  was  on  all  lips.  Wherever  he  appeared,  enthusiastic 
cheers  greeted  him.  Upon  his  arrival  in  Washington,  he 
quietly  repaired  to  Willard's  Hotel,  and,  unobserved,  took 
a  seat  at  a  table  in  the  dining-room,  with  his  son  by  his 
side.  A  gentleman  recognized  him,  and,  rising,  informed 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  251 

the  guests  that  General  Ulysses  S.  Grant  sat  at  the  table. 
Simultaneously,  and  as  by  an  instinctive  impulse,  all  rose ; 
and  cheer  upon  cheer  rang  through  the  hall.  Many  pressed 
around  him  to  take  him  by  the  hand;  and  the  crowd 
immediately  became  so  great  that  it  was  with  difficulty  he 
could  make  his  way  to  his  private  apartment. 

"In  the  evening  he  attended  the  President's  levee  at  the 
White  House.  Here  the  enthusiasm  which  his  presence 
created  was  very  great.  He  engrossed  the  attention  of  the 
whole  company.  The  crowd  pressed  him  to  an  adjacent 
sofa,  and  lifted  him  from  his  feet,  until  he  was  compelled  to 
stand  where  all  could  see  him.  Such  a  scene  of  enthusiasm 
was  never  before  witnessed  in  the  presidential  mansion. 
President  Lincoln,  magnanimous,  generous,  unselfish,  whose 
soul  was  never  sullied  with  a  jealous  thought,  stood  by  the 
side  of  Grant,  and  joined  as  heartily  as  any  of  the  company 
with  cheer  after  cheer  in  tribute  to  the  merits  of  this  great 
and  good  man. 

"But  these  ovations  were  only  painful  to  General  Grant. 
He  had  no  taste  for  pageantry,  and  his  modest  nature 
shrank  from  these  displays  of  admiration  and  homage. 
Though  by  no  means  insensible  to  manifestations  of  confi 
dence  and  affection,  he  still  wished  to  avoid  them.  Upon 
retiring  that  night  from  the  levee,  he  said  to  a  friend : 

"  '  I  hope  to  get  away  from  Washington  as  soon  as  possi 
ble,  for  I  am  tired  of  the  show-business  already.' 

"  The  next  day,  March  the  9th,  was  the  time  appointed 
by  President  Lincoln  for  presenting  him  his  commission  as 
lieutenant-general.  The  impressive  scene  took  place  in  the 
ex-ecutive  chamber,  with  true  republican  simplicity.  All  the 
cabinet  were  present,  and  also  several  other  distinguished 
invited  guests.  President  Lincoln  rose  from  his  chair,  and 
thus  addressed  him : 

"  '  GENERAL  GRANT  :  The  nation's  approbation  of  what  you 


2515  LIFE    OF    UK  ANT. 


have  already  done,  and  its  reliance  on  you  for  what  remains 
to  do  in  the  existing  great  struggle,  is  now  presented  with 
this  commission,  constituting  you  Lieutenant -General  of  the 
Army  of  the  United  States.  With  this  high  honor  devolves 
on  you  a  corresponding  responsibility.  As  the  country 
here  intrusts  you,  so  under  God  it  will  sustain  you.  I 
scarcely  need  add,  that  with  what  I  here  speak  for  the 
nation,  goes  my  own  hearty  personal  concurrence.' 

"General  Grant,  taking  the  commission  in  his  hand, 
replied  : 

"'MR.  PRESIDENT:  I  accept  this  commission  with  grati 
tude  for  the  high  honor  conferred.  With  the  aid  of  the 
noble  armies  who  have  fought  on  so  many  fields  for  our 
common  country,  it  will  be  my  earnest  endeavor  not  to 
disappoint  your  expectations.  I  feel  the  full  weight  of  the 
responsibility  now  devolving  upon  me.  I  know  that,  if  it 
is  properly  met,  it  will  be  due  to  these  armies,  and,  above 
all,  to  the  favor  of  that  Providence  which  leads  both  nations 
and  men.'" 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  253 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

GRANT  IN  HIS  NEW  COMMAND — THE  REBEL   CHIEFTAIN    LEE: — GRANT'S   COM 
BINATIONS ALL    READY    TO    ADVANCE BATTLES    OF    THE    WILDERNESS 

GALLANTRY    OF    CRAWFORD — DEATH    OF    WADSWORTH HANCOCK'S    FIGHT- 

1NG DEATH    OF   SEDGWICK BATTLE    OF    SPOTTSYLVANIA   COURT-HOUSE 

CAPTURE  OF  A  REBEL  DIVISION  AND  TWO  REBEL  GENERALS BURNSIDE's 

BATTLES — FORWARD  ALONG  THE  WHOLE  LINE ANECDOTES  OF  GRANT 

BATTLE   OF  COLD  HARBOR ORDER  OF  BATTLE — TERRIBLE   FIGHTING 

CROSSING  THE  JAMES— ASSAULTS  ON  PETERSBURG— IN  VESTMENT  OF  THE 

CITY THE  SIEGE  BEGUN PRESIDENT  LINCOLN'S  LETTER  TO  GRANT — 

GRANT'S  REPLY. 

GRANT  was  now  to  measure  swords  with  the  great  man 
of  the  rebellion,  Robert  E.  Lee.  McClellan,  Pope,  Burn- 
side,  Hooker,  and  Meade  had  all  been  unable  to  conquer  the 
rebel  chief,  and  thousands  feared  that  even  the  great  soldier 
of  the  West  would  fail. 

Quietly  looking  over  the  situation,  Grant  began  his  com 
binations  for  the  final  campaign  in  the  East.  Sending  or 
ders,  to  Steeie  and  Banks  to  drive  the  rebels  in  Louisiana 
and  Arkansas  into  Texas  and  capture  Shreveport,  he  wrote 
Butler  to  move  up  the  James  arid  intrench  at  City  Point, 
at  the  same  time  he  instructed  Sigel  to  send  ten  thousand 
men  under  Crook  into  the  Kanawha  Valley,  and  go  himself, 
with  seven  thousand  more,  up  the  Shenandoah.  This  done, 
he  consulted  with  Sherman,  and  the  great  campaign  in  the 
West  was  organized  that  resulted  in  the  brilliant  "march  to 
the  sea." 

Already  the  ponderous  machinery  of  war  was  in  motion, 


254  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

under  the  direction  of  the  master-mind  of  Grant,  and  the 
coil  of  iron  was  tightening  around  the  doomed  Confederacy. 
Hastening  to  the  army  of  the  Potomac,  he  reorganized  it. 
The  number  of  army  corps  were  reduced  to  three :  the 
Second,  under  command  of  Major-General  Winfield  S.  Han 
cock  ;  the  Fifth,  under  command  of  Major-General  G.  W. 
Warren;  and  the  Sixth,  under  command  of  General  Sedg- 
wick.  On  the  fourth  of  April,  1864,  Major-General  Sheridan 
was  placed  in  command  of  the  cavalry  corps.  Division 
officers  were  also  re-assigned. 

All  was  now  prepared,  and  the  great  General  stood  on 
the  banks  of  the  Rapidan,  bugle  in  hand,  ready  to  sound 
the  "onward"  into  the  bowels  of  the  Confederacy.  When 
at  length,  on  the  3d  of  May,  the  advance  was  blown  and 
the  army  crossed  the  Rubicon,  the  whole  nation  stood  still, 
and  with  breathless  anxiety  awaited  the  result.  Nor  had 
they  long  to  wait,  for  soon  the  terrible  news  that  three 
hundred  thousand  men  were  fighting  came  up  from  the 
Wilderness  and  blanched  every  cheek  in  the  nation. 

The  contest  began  on  the  5th  and  extended  for  five  miles, 
over  hills,  through  forests,  and  down  deep  and  dark  ravines. 
Warren,  with  Wadsworth's  and  Griffin's  divisions,  drove 
Ewell  steadily  back,  until  exhausted  and  bleeding,  the  troops 
halted  and  waited  for  the  Sixth  Corps  to  come  up.  But  the 
tangled  wilderness  and  impassable  roads  delayed  the  relief, 
and  the  rebels  in  turn  assaulted.  Wadsworth  was  forced 
back,  and  for  a  time  the  gallant  Crawford,  on  Wadsworth's 
left,  was  isolated.  Bravely  he  held  his  position,  fighting 
against  all  odds,  until  the  ground  was  strewn  with  his  dead 
and  dying;  still  he  would  not  yield,  but  fought  his  way  out, 
although  with  fearful  loss.  Getty,  rapid  and  brave,  at 
tacked  Hill  on  the  Orange  plank  road,  and  poured  volley 
after  volley  into  the  enemy,  declaring  he  would  hold  his 
position  until  Hancock  could  come  up  to  his  relief.  The 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  255 

rebels  Johnsonr  Jones,  Stuart,  Rhodes,  Daniel,  and  Gordon 
now  in  turn  attack  Warren,  and  the  Union  troops  yield 
ground  stubbornly,  covering  every  foot  given  up  with  their 
dead.  The  battle  is  spreading,  and  over  there  the  guns  of 
the  Sixth  Corps  can  be  heard  beating  through  the  tangled 
thicket.  Hancock,  too,  is  coming  up  on  the  left,  and  Hill 
and  Longstreet  are  marching  to  meet  him.  The  rebels 
Heth,  Wilcox,  and  Anderson  are  already  in  action,  and 
soon  the  battle  rages  furiously.  Men  are  shot  down  by  un 
seen  enemies,  and  the  lines  reel  backward  and  forward 
like  drunken  men.  The  rebel  Jones  lies  dead  with  his  aids, 
and  our  gallant  General  Hays  falls,  pierced  by  a  ball  while 
leading  his  men  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight.  The  sun  goes 
down  in  the  west,  and  as  darkness  creeps  over  the  earth, 
the  noise  of  the  combat  dies  way  in  the  groans  of  the  wounded 
and  dying*  Six  thousand  men,  struck  down  by  the  missiles 
of  war  are  stretched  upon  that  battle-field.  The  grim  chief 
tain  sits  upon  his  horse,  surveying  the  scene,  and  as  the  knives 
of  the  surgeons  begin  to  reek  with  the  blood  of  the  wounded, 
he  says,  "  It  is  well ;  to-morrow  we  shall  renew  the  attack," 
and  then  rides  away  to  prepare  for  another  day  of  blood. 
Yet  his  heart  is  heavy  and  sad,  and  while  the  tired  soldiers 
sleep,  he  sits  all  night  long  in  front  of  his  tent  awake,  think 
ing  of  the  morrow. 

Slowly  the  gray  mists  are  rising,  and  the  red  streamers 
in  the  east  proclaim  the  morning.  Already  the  cracking 
noise,  like  the  breaking  of  dry  sticks,  tells  us  the  skirmish 
ers  are  at  work  in  the  woods,  and  at  5  o'clock  loud  crashes 
of  musketry  are  heard.  The  smoke  curls  over  the  tree-tops 
in  Getty's  and  Wadsworth's  front,  and  now  it  spreads  away 
to  the  right  and  left.  The  sun  comes  up  in  an  unclouded 
sky,  and  a  hundred  thousand  rebels  are  again  on  the  move. 
Instantly  the  roar  of  battle  runs  along  the  lines.  Assault 
after  assault  is  made  by  the  rebels,  now  upon  this  point  and 


256  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

now  upon  that;  but  each  is  unavailing.  Though  the  Union 
line  at  times  bends  before  the  storm  and  sways  to  and  fro, 
and  the  ravines  and  hill-sides  are  crimsoned  with  blood  and 
strewed  with  the  dead,  the  Stars  and  Stripes  gradually  ad 
vance  upon  the  infuriated  foe.  General  Hancock  drives  a 
portion  of  the  rebels  more  than  two  miles  before  him.  On 
this  day  the  noble  General  Wadsworth  fell,  and  the  whole 
nation  mourned  his  loss.  A  bullet  struck  him  on  the  head, 
and  he  dropped  senseless,  mortally  wounded.  There  are  few 
names  which  can  stand  so  high  upon  the  American  roll  of 
honor  as  that  of  James  S.  Wadsworth.  Accursed  be  that 
rebellion  which  has  thus  robbed  our  nation  of  so  many  of 
the  noblest  of  her  sons  ! 

Twice  Hancock  was  driven  back  to  his  breastworks,  and 
once  the  rebels  had  so  far  succeeded  as  to  plant  their  colors 
on  his  field-works,  but  the  stay  was  short.  The  conflict  was 
now  terrific.  Such  fighting  as  Hancock  did  that  day,  for 
bravery,  could  never  have  been  surpassed.  Back  and  forth 
— first  charged  and  then  charging — until  hundreds  of  the  dead 
bodies  of  Union  and  rebel  soldiers  lay  side  by  side  in  their 
last  sleep. 

At  last Burnside,  with  the  Ninth  Corps,  came  to  his  relief, 
when  he  was  allowed  a  breathing  spell.  Later  in  the  day, 
Sedgwick's  hour  of  trial  came.  In  the  forenoon  they  made 
a  desperate  effort  to  turn  Grant's  left,  and  now,  in  the  after 
noon,  they  revived  the  effort  on  the  extreme  right.  A.  P. 
Hill  was  commanding  the  enemy,  and  two  of  the  Union 
brigades,  on  the  extreme  right,  commanded  by  Seymour  and 
Staler,  were  swallowed  up  by  the  impetuous  charge  of  the 
yelling  rebels.  They  almost  caused  a  route  in  this  part  of 
the  army,  but  Sedgwick,  bold  and  ever  brave,  took  advantage 
of  the  reflux,  which  always  follows  the  first  impetus  of  a. 
charge,  and  formed  the  corps  and  drove  the  enemy  beyond  his 
breastworks,  and  plucked  safety,  if  not  victory,  out  of  danger. 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  257 

The  teamsters  and  straggling  soldiers  who  had  been  watch 
ing  this  fearful  conflict  from  a  safe  distance,  just  as  night  set 
in,  commenced  a  stampede.  This  wild  scene  lasted  about  one 
hour  and  a  half,  when  it  was  checked  by  the  iron  hand  of 
military  law. 

All  the  day  long  the  battle  raged  until  darkness  came. 
Our  loss  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing  was  estimated  at 
over  ten  thousand  men.  The  rebel  loss  probably  was  not 
less.  What  imagination  can  gauge  the  dimensions  of  such 
a  woe !  The  wail  of  agony  or  the  cry  of  death  which  rose 
from  that  bloody  field  was  reechoed  and  intensified  in  twenty 
thousand  distant  homes. 

In  the  morning  the  rebels  were  gone.  Lee,  in  the 
night  had  retreated  toward  Spottsylvania  Court-house. 
Grant,  during  the  whole  of  the  two. days7  fighting,  ha.d  been 
on  the  battle-field.  Most  of  the  time  he  was  on  a  piny 
knoll,  with  Meade,  just  in  rear  of  Warren.  Those  who  ob 
served  him  during  the  actions  were  struck  with  his  unpre 
tending  appearance  and  his  imperturbable  manner.  Neither 
danger  nor  responsibility  seemed  to  affect  him ;  but  he 
seemed,  at  times,  lost  in  thought,  and  occasionally,  on  the 
receipt  of  information,  would  mount  his  horse  and  gallop  off 
to  the  point  where  he  was  needed,  to  return  with  equal  speed 
to  his  post  of  observation. 

The  pursuit  was  at  once  ordered,  and  Burnside  and  Sedg- 
wick  marched  for  Spottsylvania.  On  the  morning  of  the  7th 
of  May  the  fighting  was  renewed,  and  continued  until  the 
13th.  Friday,  Warren's  Fifth  Corps  was  marching  South 
ward,  by  the  Brock  road,  followed  by  Hancock's  second, 
through  Todd's  Tavern,  and  Burnside's  ninth,  by  way  of 
Piny  Branch  Church.  The  cavalry,  under  dashing  Phil. 
Sheridan,  had  been  fighting  near  Todd's  Tavern,  and  was 
now  riding  on  the  heels  of  the  beaten  enemy. 

It  was  Sunday,  and  the  troops  were  drawn  up  in  battle 
17 


258  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

array  two  miles  north  of  Spottsylvania  Court-house.  They 
had  marched  fifteen  miles  since  Saturday  noon.  The  rebels 
had  taken  possession  of  intrenchments  previously  prepared, 
and  were  every  moment  adding  to  the  strength  of  these 
earth- works.  General  Grant  commenced  a  furious  onset  upon 
them,  that  they  might  not  have  time  to  add  to  their  defenses, 
arid  to  recover  from  the  confusion  of  their  retreat. 

All  the  day  long  the  roar  of  battle  continued,  until  dark 
ness  enveloped  the  scene.  Both  parties  fought  with  equal 
desperation.  The  Union  soldiers,  however,  though  Avith 
very  severe  loss,  drove  the  rebels  out  of  their  first  line  of  in 
trenchments,  and  took  twenty-five  hundred  prisoners. 

Another  night  came ;  and  again  these  panting,  bleeding 
armies  threw  themselves  upon  the  ground  for  such  repose  as 
could  be  found  amidst  the  dying  and  the  dead.  Both  parties 
were  in  the  extreme  of  exhaustion.  For  five  days  and 
nights  they  had  been  almost  incessantly  engaged  in  fighting 
or  marching.  But  General  Grant,  the  tireless  leader  of  the 
patriot  host,  allowed  his  guilty  foe  no  repose. 

With  the  early  light  he  opened  upon  the  rebels  a  harassing 
fire  from  his  batteries,  while  his  skirmishers  and  sharpshoot 
ers  annoyed  them  at  every  available  point.  General  Sedg- 
wick  was  in  the  front  of  the  extreme  right  of  his  corps,  with 
a  few  of  his  staff,  superintending  the  posting  of  some  guns. 
An  occasional  shot  from  a  sharpshooter  whistled,  with  elon 
gated  sound,  about  the  group,  causing  some  of  the  men  to 
wince.  The  General  joked  them  about  their  nervousness, 
saying,  "Pooh,  men,  they  can't  hit  an  elephant  at  that  dis 
tance."  The  words  had  scarcely  passed  his  lips,  when  a  ball 
pierced  his  face,  just  below  the  left  eye,  and  with  a  serene 
smile,  as  if  connected  with  his  last  words,  he  fell,  the  blood 
streaming  from  his  nostrils.  He  died  immediately,  as  he 
would  have  asked  to  die  if  he  could  have  chosen  the  manner 
of  his  death. 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  250 

It  was  now  the  afternoon  of  the  10th  day  of  May,  and  the 
fifth  day  of  the  fighting.  Colonel  Upton,  with  the  Second 
Brigade  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  First  Division,  and  D.  A.  Rus 
sell,  with  the  Third  Division  had  just  made  a  memorable 
charge  upon  the  enemy  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house.  The 
men  sprang  over  the  enemy's  works,  took  upward  of  a 
thousand  prisoners  and  several  cannon,  and  only  retired, 
being  obliged  to  abandon  the  captured  artillery,  because 
they  were  so  far  in  advance  as  to  make  the  position  perilous, 
and  were  not  supported  by  Mott  on  their  left.  Mott,  how 
ever,  succeeded  in  forming  connection  with  the  Ninth  Corps, 
which  had  now  moved  to  the  left  from  the  Fredericksburg 
road. 

Although  the  carnage  had  been  so  great  as  to  make  the 
losses  on  our  side  not  far  from  ten  thousand,  and  the  rebels 
not  much  less,  the  battle  was  indecisive.  Again  had  the 
rival  generals  divided  each  other's  purposes,  and  terrible 
shocks  had  been  the  result.  Thus  ended  the  first  day  of  the 
battle  of  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  and  the  troops  rested 
on  their  arms,  feeling  sure  that  a  struggle  as  desperate 
awaited  them  on  the  morrow,  or,  at  least,  at  a  very  early 
time. 

The  morning  of  Wednesday,  the  llth,  rose  bright  and 
clear,  and  the  closeness  of  contact  of  the  two  armies  caused 
desultory  fighting  at  many  points,  but  no  general  engage 
ment.  We  had  lost  very  heavily,  probably  at  least  thirty- 
five  thousand  men,  since  the  beginning  of  the  campaign ; 
but  we  had  taken  many  prisoners,  had  inflicted  terrible 
losses  upon  the  enemy,  and  reinforcements  were  rapidly 
pushing  forward  to  us — among  the  material  of  which,  it  is  a 
significant  fact  that  there  were  heavy  artillery  trains,  de 
signed  for  siege  service  at  Richmond. 

It  was  on  the  llth  that  Grant  sent  to  the  War  Depart 
ment  his  celebrated  dispatch : 


260  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

"HEAD-QUARTERS  ix  THE  FIELD,  May  11,  1864 — 8  A.  M. 

"We  have  now  ended  the  sixth  day  of  "very  heavy  fight 
ing.  The  result,  to  this  time,  is  much  in  our  favor. 

"Our  losses  have  been  heavy,  as  well  as  those  of  the 
enemy.  I  think  the  loss  of  the  enemy  must  be  greater. 

"We  have  taken  over  five  thousand  prisoners  by  battle, 
while  he  has  taken  from  us  but  few,  except  stragglers. 

"  I  PROPOSE  TO  FIGHT  IT  OUT  ON  THIS  LINE,  IF  IT  TAKES  ALL 
SUMMER. 

"U.  S.  GRANT,  Lieutenant- General, 

"Commanding  the  Armies  of  the  United  States" 

Lee  had  sent  a  flag  of  truce,  asking  forty-eight  hours' 
cessation  of  hostilities,  that  he  might  bury  his  dead.  Grant 
had  replied :  "  I  have  no  time  to  bury  my  own  dead,  but 
propose  an  immediate  advance."  With  this  reply  he  pushed 
forward,  his  advanced  lines  shelling  the  woods,  but  no 
response  was  met  from  where  the  enemy's  center  had  been 
a  few  hours  before. 

Certain  now  that  victory  was  within  his  grasp,  he  ordered 
General  Hancock  to  move  during  the  night  close  up  to  the 
intrenchments,  held  by  the  rebel  General  Ewell's  corps. 
Slowly  and  surely  Hancock's  men  crept  forward,  and  at 
dawn  they  were  close  upon  the  sleeping  and  unsuspecting 
enemy.  At  the  proper  moment  the  order  to  charge  was 
given,  and  with  a  loud  yell  Hancock's  men  leaped  over  the 
rebel  intrenchments,  and  with  the  butts  of  their  muskets 
(the  quarters  were  too  close  to  fire)  commenced  to  slay 
the  enemy  right  and  left.  They  were  surrounded,  cornered, 
and  dumbfounded,  and  when  they  were  commanded  to 
surrender,  they  dropped  their  arms  and  became  prisoners 
of  war.  Even  the  artillery  had  not  time  to  limber  up,  get 
away,  or  fire  one  single  volley.  The  General — E.  Johnson 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  2G1 

— whose  head-quarters  was  somewhat  to  the  rear,  hnd  no 
time  to  escape.  In  making  this  memorable  and  brilliant 
charge,  the  Union  troops  moved  over  a  rugged  and  densely 
wooded  space,  but  so  silent  and  swift  had  been  their  advance 
that  the  rebels,  who  were  at  breakfast,  knew  nothing  of  their 
approach  until  they  heard  the  cheers  of  the  blue  jackets, 
and  rushed  out  only  in  time  to  see  them  climbing  over  their 
breastworks.  The  captures  were  Edward  Johnson's  entire 
division,  with  its  general ;  two  brigades  of  other  troops,  with 
their  commander,  Brigadier-General  George  II.  Stuart ;  and 
thirty  guns.  The  number  of  prisoners  taken  was  between 
three  and  four  thousand.  It  was  the  most  decided  success 
yet  achieved  during  the  campaign.  When  Hancock  heard 
that  these  generals  were  taken,  he  directed  that  they  should 
be  brought  to  him.  Offering  his  hand  to  Johnson,  that 
officer  was  so  affected  as  to  shed  tears,  declaring  that  he 
would  have  preferred  death  to  captivity.  He  then  extended 
his  hand  to  Stuart,  whom  he  had  known  before,  saying, 
"How  are- you  Stuart?"  but  the  rebel,  with  great  haughti 
ness,  replied,  "  I  am  General  Stuart,  of  the  Confederate 
army ;  and,  under  present  circumstances,  I  decline  to  take 
your  hand."  Hancock's  cool  and  dignified  reply  was : 
"And  under  any  other  circumstances,  general,  I  should  not 
have  offered  it." 

Hancock  dispatched  Grant : 

"I  have  captured  from  thirty  to  forty  guns.  I  have 
finished  up  Johnson,  and  am  now  going  into  Early," 

The  great  machinery  of  war,  in  Grant's  hands,  was  now 
fairly  at  work.  News  came  that  Sherman  was  moving  by 
the  flank  around  Johnston  at  Dalton,  and  that  the  place 
was  being  evacuated.  Butler  was  defeating  the  rebels  on 
the  south  side  of  the  James,  and  Sheridan,  with  his  cavalry, 
was  destroying  the  railroad  bridge  over  the  Chickahominy 
Iliver,  fighting  battles  with  the  rebel  cavalry  at  Yellow 


262  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

Tavern,  and    charging    down   Brock    road    to    the    enemy's 
works  on  that  side  of  Richmond. 

On  the  13th  of  May,  Burnsidc,  with  the  Ninth  Corps, 
lay  across  the  pike  leading  from  Spottsylvania  Court-house 
to  Fredericksburg,  about  two  miles  from  the  former  place ; 
here  he  had  a  severe  engagement  with  A.  P.  Hill.  Al 
though  Burnside  moved-early  to  the  attack,  he  found  the 
rebels  over  a  mile  in  front  of  their  works  waiting  for  him  ; 
the  fight  commenced,  and  the  rebels  were  soon  pushed 
back  into  their  first  line  of  fortifications,  and  then  forced  to 
take  refuge  in  their  main  line  of  intrenchments.  Burnside 
renewed  the  attack  in  the  afternoon,  but  a  flanking  brigade 
of  rebels  captured  a  portion  of  the  Fifty-fifth  Pennsylvania, 
One  Hundred  and  Ninth  New  York,  and  the  Seventeenth 
Michigan  regiments.  Burnside  gained  a  better  position 
than  he  had  at  the  commencement  of  the  fight,  but  with  a 
loss  of  near  three  thousand  men.  The  roads  were  very 
bad,  and  it  was  difficult  to  move,  and  little  was  done  until 
Lee,  weary  and  disheartened,  showed  signs  of  attempting  a 
retreat.  On  the  18th,  Grant  renewed  the  attack;  the 
assault  was  commenced  early,  but  the  rebels  were  not  again 
to  be  found  napping ;  by  this  move  Grant  soon  discovered 
the  enemy  strongly  posted  behind  breastworks.  On  the 
19th,  E well's  corps  made  an  attempt  to  turn  Grant's  right, 
but  was  severely  punished  by  Birney  and  Tyler's  divisions. 
Grant  had  now  received  about  twenty-five  thousand  splendid 
fresh  troops,  forwarded  to  him  to  make  up  for  his  losses 
during  the  terrific  battles  on  the  Ilapidan.  On  the  20th  of 
May,  he,  by  the  flanking  process,  compelled  Lee  to  abandon 
his  strong  wprks  at  Spottsylvania  Court-house,  the  rebels 
retreating  toward  Richmond,  Grant's  army  in  pursuit. 
Falling  behind  the  North  Anna  River,  Lee  took  up  another 
strong  position ;  by  marching  the  Fifth  and  Sixth  Corps  by 
way  of  Harris'  Store  to  Jericho  Ford,  the  Sixth  Corps 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  263 

crossing,  Lee  was  again  flanked,  and  compelled  to  abandon 
his  strong  position  on  the  North  Anna,  and  fell  back  to  the 
South  Anna  River.  Here  Lee's  position  was  discovered  to 
be  one  of  great  strength,  and  Grant  deeming  it  only  a  waste 
of  life  to  make  an  assault,  recrossed  the  North  Anna  River, 
moving  his  army  in  the  direction  of  Hanover  Junction. 
Thus  outgeneraling  and  flanking  Lee's  position  on  the 
South  Anna,  he  forced  him  again  to  abandon  his  elaborately 
constructed  fortifications.  By  these  master  strategic  move 
ments,  it  became  evident  to  all  the  corps  and  division  com 
manders  in  Grant's  army  that  he  had  outmaneuvered  Lee, 
and  drove  him  from  all  his  positions,  using  him  merely  as 
his  mouth-piece,  as  he  had  previously  used  Bragg  at  Chatta 
nooga.  It  could  be  seen  by  all  that  it  was  Grant,  and  not 
Lee,  that  was  commanding  the  rebel  army.  General  Sheri 
dan,  with  his  cavalry,  had  taken  possession  of  the  Hanover 
Ferry,  and  all  points  designated  for  bringing  the  army  over 
the  Pamunkey  River,  and  by  the  29th,  Grant's  entire  force 
was  across  and  encamped  in  a  fertile  country  only  fifteen 
miles  from  Richmond.  By  this  great  move  he  turned  all 
Lee's  works  on  the  Little  River  and  the  South  Anna,  avoid 
ing  the  hazard  of  crossing  these  strongly  defended  streams ; 
by  this  strategy  he  became  master  of  the  situation  with 
regard  to  his  new  base  of  supplies,  and  he  was  now  left  to 
choose  his  own  route  to  the  rebel  capitol,  and  all  this  had 
been  accomplished  in  twenty-four  days  from  the  day  he 
struck  tents  at  Culpepper  Court-house,  without  leaving,  as 
previous  commanders  did,  one-fourth  of  his  army  behind 
for  the  defense  of  the  capitol — he  was  now  master  of  the 
peninsula  without  having  uncovered  Washington  for  a 
single  hour. 

During  Grant's  advance,  a  gentleman,  who  was  a  warm 
friend  of  the  General,  called  upon  him  one  morning,  and 
found  him  in  his  tent  talking  to  one  of  his  staff  officers. 


264  LIFE    OP    GRANT. 

"General,"  said  the  friend,  "if  you  flank  Lee,. and  get 
between  him  and  Richmond,  will  you  not  uncover  Wash 
ington,  arid  leave  it  exposed  to  the  enemy?"  "Yes,  I 
reckon  so,"  was  General  Grant's  taciturn  and  quiet  reply. 
"Do  you  not  think,  General,"  the  friend  continued,  "that 
Lee  can  detach  sufficient  force  to  reenforce  Beaure<nird  at 

O 

Richmond,  and  overwhelm  Butler?"  "I  have  not  a  doubt 
of  it,"  Grant  replied.  "And  is  there  not  danger,"  the 
friend  added,  "that  Johnston  may  come  up  and  reenforce 
Lee,  so  that  the  latter  will  swing  round  and  cut  off  your 
communications  and  seize  your  supplies?"  "Very  likely," 
was  the  unconcerned  reply.  His  friend  looked  at  him  in 
surprise,  and  anxiously  inquired :  "  What,  then,  are  you 
going  to  do?"  "Beat  them,"  was  Grant's  quiet  response. 

While  conversing  with  several  officers  on  the  subject  of 
'the  capture  of  Richmond,  the  question  was  asked :  "  Can  it 
be  taken?"  "With  ease,"  General  Grant  replied.  "By 
the  Peninsula?"  the  inquirer  asked.  "No,"  said  the  Gen 
eral.  "  I  shall  want  two  large  armies — one  to  move 
directly  on  Lee ;  and  the  other  to  land  at  City  Point,  and 
cut  communications  to  the  southward.  Lee  would  be  then 
compelled  to  fall  back  ;  and  the  army  from  the  north  could 
press,  and,  if  possible,  defeat  him. 

"  If  he  would  open  up  communications  again  with  the 
Cotton  States,  he  must  fight  the  army  south  of  the  James ; 
and, -to  do  this,  he  must  cross  his  whole  force — otherwise  he 
would  be  defeated  in  detail.  If  he  did  so  cross,  the  Northern 
army  could  take  Richmond.  If  he  did  not,  that  from  the 
south  could  move  up  to  the  heights  south  of  the  James,  and 
shell  and  destroy  the  city." 

Our  losses,  in  the  battles  of  the  Wilderness,  were  about 
fifteen  thousand  men.  Our  losses  from  the  12th  of  May  to  the 
21st,  were  as  follows  :  Killed,  one  hundred  and  fourteen  offi 
cers  and  two  thousand  and  thirty-two  enlisted  men  ;  wounded, 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  265 

two  hundred  and  fifty-nine  officers  and  seven  thousand  six 
hundred  and  ninety-seven  men ;  missing,  thirty-one  officers 
and  two  hundred  and  forty-eight  men ;  total,  ten  thousand 
three  hundred  and  eighty-one.  Our  losses  from  the  21st  to 
the  31st  of  May,  were :  Killed,  twelve  officers  and  one 
hundred  arid  thirty-three  enlisted  men  ;  wounded,  sixty-seven 
officers  and  one  thousand  and  sixty-three  men ;  missing, 
three  officers  and  three  hundred  and  twenty-four  men ; 
total,  one  thousand  six  hundred  and  seven. 

The  month  of  June  opened  with  the  battle  at  Cold  Har 
bor.  On  Thursday,  June  2d,  our  line  of  battle  extended 
from  Cold  Harbor  to  Bethesda  Church.  Hancock,  on  the 
left,  occupied  Cold  Harbor;  the  Sixth  Corps  was  on  his 
right,  and  then,  in  order,  the  Eighteenth  and  Fifth,  while 
Burnside,  with  the  Ninth,  had  the  extreme  right  at  Bethesda 
Church. 

On  Friday,  June  3d,  a  new  movement  was  begun,  at  four 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  resulted  in  one  of  the  most  ter 
rible  and  hardly-contested  battles  of  the  war.  Before  mak 
ing  a  new  advance  by  the  left  flank,  Grant  determined 
again  to  try  the  strength  of  the  enemy,  and  had  issued  or 
ders  that  an  assault  should  be  made  upon  him  along  the 
whole  line.-  At  the  specified  time,  all  moved  forward  with 
varying  fortune.  Hancock,  on  our  left,  advanced,  with  the 
divisions  of  Gibbon  and  Barlow,  up  the  slope  in  his  front, 
which  was  swept  by  a  terrible  artillery  fire.  So  vigorous 
was  this  attack,  that  the  enemy  was  pushed  out  of  his  works, 
and  thrown  back  upon  his  second  line.  But  here  he  rallied, 
threw'  in  a  fearful  enfilading  fire  upon  our  advance,  arid  in 
turn  drove  it  out  in  hot  haste  to  seek  shelter  from  the  iron 
storm ;  but  not  so  rapidly  as  not  to  take  with  it  three  hun 
dred  prisoners  and  one  color.  Not  content  with  this,  how 
ever,  the  enemy  attacked  our  lines  furiously  again  and 
again,  but  were  repulsed. 


266  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

Quite  similar  to  this  was  the  fortune  of  the  attack  made 
by  our  center,  under  Smith  and  Wright.  They  also  carried 
the  works  in  their  front  by  a  splendid  charge,  but  were 
driven  out  by  the  enemy,  and  forced  to  throw  up  intrencli- 
ments  near  his  works.  As  the  enemy  had  massed  heavily 
on  our  left  and  left  center,  the  principal  fighting  was  in 
front  of  these  corps,  and  when  it  was  found  that  we  could 
not  drive  him  from  his  intrenchments,  offensive  operations 
ceased  at  about  eleven  o'clock. 

The  fighting  in  front  of  Warren  and  Burnside  was  unim 
portant  ;  but  Burnside  reported  that  he  had  carried  an  ad 
vanced  line  in  his  front.  During  the  entire  day  the  enemy 
made  wild  charges  against  our  lines,  which  were  never  suc 
cessful  in  breaking  them. 

On  our  extreme  right,  Wilson  had  been  posted  with  the 
Third  Cavalry  Division,  and  there  he  came  in  contact  with 
the  cavalry  of  Wade  Hampton,  which  he  drove  away. 
There,  too,  he  fell  upon  an  infantry  brigade  of  Ileth's  di 
vision,  which  had  been  sent  to  envelop  Burnside.  He  drove 
this  force  back,  and  took  from  it  a  number  of  prisoners. 

It  would  require  a  volume  faithfully  to  describe  the 
varied  events  of  this  one  battle,  or  rather  this  series  of 
battles,  in  which  three  hundred  thousand  men,  along  a  line 
several  miles  in  extent,  struggled  in  the  deadly  conflict,  all 
day  long,  with  almost  superhuman  energies.  Clouds  of 
cavalry  swept  over  the  plain.  Batteries  were  lost  and  bat 
teries  were  won.  There  were  successful  charges,  and  the 
cheer  of  victory  rose  over  the  thunderings  of  war's  tempest. 
And  there  was  the  repulse  when  the  shout  of  the  victors 
faded  away  into  the  wail  of  death.  Night  came,  and  the 
battle  ceased.  The  carnage  on  both  sides  had  been  severe, 
la  counting  up  our  losses,  it  appeared  that  seven  thousand 
were  numbered  among  the  killed,  the  wounded,  and  the 
missing.  Though  we  gained  several  important  positions, 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  267 

and  made  a  decided  advance,  it  was  evident  that  the  rebels 
were  so  firmly  intrenched  that  they  could  not  be  driven 
from  their  works,  except  at  too  great  a  sacrifice  of  the  lives 
of  our  brave  soldiers. 

On  Sunday  morning,  June  12th,  Grant  began  to  with 
draw  his  army,  and  prepare  to  cross  the  James  River,  at 
Wilcox  Wharf  and  Powhattan  Point.  By  Sunday  night, 
the  troops  were  in  position  for  crossing  the  James  River 
in  thirty  hours,  and  in  six  hours  more  the  entire  army,  with 
scarcely  the  loss  of  a  man,  was  landed  on  the  south  side 
of  the  James  River.  On  Wednesday,  General  Smith  com 
menced  an  attack  on  Petersburg.  Several  efforts  were  made 
to  carry  the  place  by  assault,  but  Grant  was  convinced  that 
the  Cockade  City  could  only  be  captured  by  a  protracted 
siege.  General  Wilson,  with  six  thousand  picked  troops, 
was  sent  to  destroy  the  Weldon  and  Southside  railroads ; 
the  former  was  struck  at  Ream's  Station,  and  the  latter  at 
Ford's  Station,  and  some  sixty  miles  of  track,  together  with 
bridges,  cars,  and  locomotives  were  destroyed.  General 
Wright,  with  the  Sixth  Corps,  cooperated  with  Wilson,  by 
moving  on  the  Weldon  road  below  Petersburg,  and  destroy 
ing  about  five  miles  of  track.  Lee,  becoming  worried  and 
disheartened,  thought  to  divert  Grant  from  his  well-settled 
purpose,  sent  Breckinridge  on  a  raid  against  Washington; 
but  Grant  could  not  be  induced  to  withdraw  his  army  from 
the  James.  Breckinridge  went  and  made  the  feint,  and 
was  defeated,  leaving  500  of  his  men  killed  and  wounded 
under  the  guns  of  Fort  Stephen. 

Grant  had  begun  the  investment  of  Petersburg  in  earnest, 
and  his  wearied  troops,  for  the  first  time  in  two  months, 
got  some  rest.  The  fighting  had  been  almost  continuous, 
and  over  seventy  thousand  men  and  officers  had  been  lost. 
Of  officers  alone,  six  hundred  had  been  killed,  more  than 
two  thousand  wounded,  and  three  hundred  and  fifty  were 


268  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

missing.  Brigades  were  commanded  by  majors  and  regi 
ments  by  captains,  all  the  senior  officers  having  been  killed, 
wounded,  or  captured.  Reinforcements  were  pouring  in 
upon  him,  but  Grant  felt  he  had  reached  that  point  where 
the  siege  should  take  the  place  of  battles  in  the  field. 
The  President  had  written  General  Grant  to  say : 

"  LIEUTENANT-GENERAL  GRANT  :  Not  expecting  to  see 
you  before  the  spring  campaign  opens,  I  wish  to  express, 
in  this,  my  entire  satisfaction  with  what  you  have  done  up 
to  this  time,  so  far  as  I  understand  it.  The  particulars  of 
your  plans  I  neither  know  nor  seek  to  know.  You  are 
vigilant  and  self-reliant;  and,  pleased  with  this,  I  wish  not 
to  obtrude  any  restraints  or  constraints  upon  you.  While 
I  am  very  anxious  that  any  great  disaster  or  capture  of 
our  men  in  great  numbers  shall  be  avoided,  I  know  that 
these  points  are  less  likely  to  escape  your  attention  than 
they  would  be  mine.  If  there  be  any  thing  wanting  which 
it  is  within  my  power  to  give,  do  not  fail  to  let  me  know  it. 

"  And  now,  with  a  brave  army  and  a  just  cause,  may 
God  sustain  you. 

"Yours  very  truly, 

"A.  LINCOLN," 

General  Grant  had  immediately  replied : 

"TiiE  PRESIDENT:  Your  very  kind  letter  of  yesterday  is 
just  received.  The  confidence  you  express  for  the  future, 
and  satisfaction  for  the  past,  in  my  military  administra 
tion,  is  acknowledged  with  pride.  It  shall  be  my  earnest 
endeavor  that  you  and  the  country  shall  not  be  disappoint 
ed.  From  my  first  entrance  into  the  volunteer  service  of 
the  country  to  the  present  day,  I  have  never  had  cause  of 
complaint,  have  never  expressed  or  implied  complaint  against 
the  administration,  or  the  Secretary  of  War,  for  throwing 


LIFE   OF   GRANT.  269 

any  embarrassment  in  the  way  of  my  vigorously  prosecuting 
wliat  appeared  to  be  my  duty. 

"  Indeed,  since  the  promotion  which  placed  me  in  com 
mand  of  all  the  armies,  and  in  view  of  the  great  responsi 
bility  arid  importance  of  success,  I  have  been  astonished  at 
the  readiness  with  which  every  thing  asked  for  has  been 
yielded,  without  even  an  explanation  being  asked.  Should 
my  success  be  less  than  I  desire  and  expect,  the  least  I 
can  say  is,  the  fault  is  not  with  you. 

"  Very  truly  your  obedient  servant, 

«U.  S.  GRANT." 


270  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

SIGEL  RELIEVED HUNTER  IX  THE  VALLEY BATTLE  ON  NORTH  RIVER- 
BRILLIANT  SUCCESS  OF  HUNTER HIS  DEFEAT  NEAR  LYXCHBURG SHER 
IDAN  AT  DEEP  BOTTOM — HE  MARCHES  TO  WITHIN  TWELVE  MILES  OF 

RICHMOND COLONEL  PLEASANTs'   MINE— THE  EXPLOSION — SUCCESS  OF 

THE  MINE FAILURE  OF  THE  TROOPS FIGHTING  IN  THE  CRATER — EARLY's 

ADVANCE    ON   WASHINGTON GREGG'S  ATTACK   ON   THE  WELDON  RAIL 
ROAD HEAVY  FIGHTING SHERIDAN  IN  THE  VALLEY — BATTLE  OF  OPE- 

QUAN DEFEAT  OF  SHERIDAN'S  FORCES  BY  EARLY SHERIDAN'S  RIDE 

HE  REGAINS  THE  BATTLE GRANT'S   PRAISE  OF  SHERIDAN — THE  PRESI 
DENT'S  LETTER  TO  HIM HE  IS  MADE  A  MAJOR-GENERAL  IN  THE  REGULAR 

ARMY — SHERMAN'S  MARCH  TO  THE  SEA. 

GRANT  was  now  drawing  his  lines  around  Petersburg. 
Sigel  had  been  relieved  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  and 
Hunter,  who  had  been  assigned  in  his  place,  was  beating  up 
the  enemy's  quarters  at  Piedmont.  Grant  wrote  Halleck, 
May  20th  : 

"  The  enemy  are  evidently  relying  for  supplies  greatly  on 
such  as  are  brought  over  the  branch  road  running  through 
Staunton.  On  the  whole,  therefore,  I  think  it  would  be 
better  for  General  Hunter  to  move  in  that  direction ;  reach 
Staunton  and  Gordomville,  if  he  does  not  meet  too  much 
opposition.  If  he  can  hold  in  it  a  force  equal  to  his  own, 
he  will  be  doing  good  service." 

Again,  on  the  25th,  he  writes  Halleck  :  "  If  Hunter  can 
possibly  get  to  Charlottesville  and  Lynclilurg,  he  should  do 
so — living  on  the  country.  The  railroads  and  canals  should 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  271 

bo  destroyed  beyond  the  possibility  of  repair  for  weeks. 
Completing  this,  he  could  find  his  way  back  to  his  original 
base,  or,  from  about  Gordonsville,  join  this  army." 

Hunter  fought  a  battle  with  the  rebel  Jones  on  North 
River,  in  which  he  defeated  Jones,  and  captured  fifteen 
hundred  prisoners,  three  cannon,  and  three  hundred  stand 
of  arms.  The  battle  lasted  ten  hours,  and  the  rebel  com 
mander  was  left  dead  on  the  field.  He  pushed  on  through 
White  Sulphur  Springs  to  Gaston  Depot,  on  the  Virginia 
Railroad,  which  he  destroyed.  He  then  marched  to  Lynch- 
burg,  near  which  place  he  was  defeated,  and  compelled  to 
retreat  to  the  Kanawha. 

Meantime,  Grant  was  pushing  forward  his  works  at  Pe 
tersburg.  On  the  26th  of  June,  he  made  a  diversion  by 
sending  Sheridan,  with  part  of  the  Second  Corps,  and  two 
divisions  of  cavalry,  across  the  James  to  Deep  Bottom,  to 
operate  in  conjunction  with  Butler's  army  and  threaten  the 
enemy.  On  the  28th,  he  extended  his  lines  across  to  New 
Market  and  Long  Bridge  road.  Lee,  alarmed  at  these 
movements,  sent  large  bodies  of  troops  to  meet  Grant's  de 
tached  forces,  and  some  hard  fighting  took  place. 

On  the  26th  of  July,  Sheridan,  who  -had  crossed  the 
Appottomax  at  Point  of  Rocks,  pushed  forward  to  the 
James,  and  crossed  it  at  Jones'  Neck.  He  then  marched 
to  within  twelve  miles  of  Richmond,  where  he  found  a  rebel 
camp  which  he  charged,  scattering  the  rebels  right  and  left, 
and  capturing  their  intrenchments  and  cannon. 

Colonel  Pleasants,  of  the  Forty-eighth  Pennsylvania,  had 
been  at  work  for  a  month  on  a  mine,  which  he  completed 
on  the  23d  of  July.  This  gallant  and  skillful  officer  had, 
without  mining  tools,  in  the  face  of  all  opposition  and  dis 
couragements,  persevered  until  he  brought  his  mine  to  a 
successful  conclusion.  On  the  30th,  the  troops  were  drawn 
up  to  see  the  mine  explode.  Burnside  was  in  front  of  the 


272  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

work  with  orders  to  assault.  Warren  was  on  his  left,  and 
Ord  on  the  right. 

At  half-past  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  match  was 
applied,  but  the  mine  did  not  explode.  Pleasants  knew  in 
a  moment  the  difficulty.  He  had  been  obliged  to  use  a 
spliced  fuse,  instead  of  a  whole  one,  or,  indeed,  two  or  three 
fuses,  arid  it  had  stopped  burning  at  the  splice.  Two  brave 
men  of  the  regiment,  who  believed  in  the  mine,  and  who 
had  toiled  at  it  night  and  day  under  Pleasants,  volunteered 
for  the  dangerous  service  to  go  in  and  relight  it.  These 
were  Lieutenant  Jacob  Douty,  and  Sergeant  Harry  Reese. 
They  go  along  the  gallery  one  hundred  feet  before  they 
reach  the  point  where  the  fire  stopped.  Again,  at  ten  min 
utes  before  five,  the  insidious  flame  travels-  to  its  destined 
goal.  Generals  Grant  and  Meade  are  at  the  front-  "  It 
lacks  a  minute,"  said  Pleasants.  "Not  a  second,"  said 
Douty,  "for  there  she  goes!"  A  quiver,  which  becomes 
an  earthquake  tremor — and  then,  with  a  tremendous  burst, 
a  conical  mountain  rises  in  the  air,  streaked  and  seamed 
with  lightning  flashes.  The  vast  mass  is  momentarily  poised  ; 
and  as  it  thus  hangs  in  air,  discloses  timber,  planking, 
earth,  bodies,  and  limbs  of  men,  and  even  one  or  two  of  the 
sixteen  guns  in  the  work.  It  is  known  that  the  work  was 
occupied  by  portions  of  the  Seventeenth,  Eighteenth,  and 
Twenty-second  South  Carolina  regiments,  under  Colonel 
Fleming.  Except  the  guard,  the  garrison  was  asleep.  One 
instant  of  awakening,  and  then  the  crashing  death.  Rocks, 
timbers,  earth,  guns,  and  men  were  thrown,  in  a  vast  spread 
ing  column,  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  into  the  air.  These 
were  all  enveloped  in  heavy  folds  of  billowy  smoke,  which, 
wrapped  in  its  funeral  pall,  blended  with  the  debris,  the 
mangled  forms  of  two  hundred  men. 

For  a  moment  there  was  a  pause,  as  all  eyes  regarded 
the  gigantic  apparition.  The  next  moment  a  hundred  guns 


LIFE   OF    GRANT.  273 

\ 

opened  their  roar,  and  in  rapid  fire  hurled  round-shot  and 
shell  in  and  upon  the  rebel  works.  For  miles  upon  miles 
the  resounding  thunder  rolled.  As  the  vast  column  thrown 
into  the  air  fell  in  wide-spread  and  indescribable  ruin,  an 
immense  chasm  appeared,  several  hundred  feet  long,  fifty 
feet  wide,  and  twenty  feet  deep. 

Thus  far  the  mine  had  been  a  triumphant  success.  For 
some  cause,  not  easily  explained,  the  charging  column,  after 
a  delay  of  ten  minutes — when  seconds  were  of  priceless 
value — rushed  into  the  gap,  and  there  halted,  and  com 
menced  throwing  up  intrenchments.  The  important  point 
to  be  gained  was  the  crest  of  Cemetery  Hill,  four  hundred 
yards  beyond. 

Ledlie  still  halted  in  the  excavation.  Wilcox  and  Potter 
soon  followed  him,  and  the  three  divisions  became  inter 
mixed,  and  general  confusion  prevailed.  An  hour  of  pre 
cious  time  was  lost.  Ledlie  made  no  attempt  to  move  in 
or  out,  and  Potter  and  Wilcox  could  not  go  forward  while 
he  blocked  the  way. 

The  delay  was  fatal.  The  rebels  concentrated  their  fire 
on  the  crater  where  the  troops  were  massed,  and  the  place 
became  a  slaughter  pen.  The  troops  retreated  as  best  they 
could,  but  our  loss  was  very  heavy.  Killed,  forty-seven 
officers,  and  three  hundred  and  seventy-two  enlisted  men ; 
wounded,  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  officers,  one  thou 
sand  five  hundred  and  fifty-five  men;  missing,  ninety-one 
officers,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  nineteen  men ; 
total,  four  thousand  and  three. 

Grant  was  greatly  disappointed  at  the  failure  of  the  mine, 
but  continued  to  push  the  siege  with  renewed  vigor. 

Lee  had  sent  Early,  with  a  corps  to  threaten  Washing 
ton,  and  on  the  10th  of  July,  Early's  cavalry  advance  was 
reported  at  Ilockvillc.  Grant  had  detached  Wright,  with  a 
part  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  and  dispatched  him  to  the  defense 
18 


274  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

of  the  National  Capitol.  On  the  18th  of  August,  Grant 
sent  Gregg,  with  a  division  of  cavalry,  to  seize  and  destroy 
the  Weldon  Railroad,  in  Lee's  rear.  Lee,  hearing  of  the 
move,  sent  an  overwhelming  force  to  protect  the  road,  which, 
coming  to  the  ears  of  Grant,  he  in  turn  sent  down  the  Fifth 
Corps  to  the  support  of  Gregg.  A  desperate  action  took 
place,  and  the  rebels  were  on  the  point  of  obtaining  a  vic 
tory,  when  the  Ninth  Corps  came  up  and  turned  the  tide  in 
favor  of  the  Union  arms. 

The  battle  was  fought  on  Friday,  and  the  next  day,  Sat 
urday,  the  rebels  were  so  exhausted  they  could  not  renew 
the  contest,  but  having  received  large  reinforcements,  on 
Sunday  morning  they  fiercely  attacked  our  troops,  but  were 
repulsed.  On  Monday,  the  battle  was  begun  again.  Speak 
ing  of  this  day's  action,  Abbott  says : 

"Again  their  charging  lines  melted  away  before  the  awful 
storm  of  grape  and  canister  belched  from  our  ramparts. 
Tuesday,  these  desperate  men,  with  renovated  numbers, 
marched  forth  again  to  the  assault;  and  again,  torn  and 
broken,  they  retreated,  leaving  the  ground  covered  with 
their  slain.  We  had  gained  the  Weldon  road,  two  and  a 
half  miles  from  Petersburg,  and  all  the  powers  of  rebeldom 
could  not  force  General  Grant  to  relinquish  his  hold.  The 
loss  of  the  road  was  a  terrible  calamity  to  General  Lee. 
It  cut  off  so  important  a  line  for  supplies  and  recruits  as  to 
forebode  the  destruction  of  his  army,  Lee  therefore  re 
solved  to  make  another  attempt,  with  all  his  available 
strength,  to  regain  the  road.  He  concentrated  an  immense 
force,  gathered  from  every  point  of  his  encampment  from 
which  troops  could  be  spared,  and  massed  them  in  heavy 
columns  concealed  in  the  forest. 

"At  a  given  signal  they  all  rushed  upon  our  lines,  leaped 
over  our  breastworks,  and  engaged  in  a  hand-to-hand  fight. 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  275 

The  struggle  on  both  sides  was  marked  with  a  desperation 
which  had  not  been  surpassed  during  the  war. 

"  The  carnage  was  dreadful.  Our  troops  fought  desperately 
against  these  overpowering  numbers.  Though  they  lost  t\\o 
thousand  prisoners,  and  a  thousand  in  killed  and  wounded, 
they  still  held  their  position  during  the  day.  When  night 
came,  they  fell  back  a  few  miles  along  the  railroad  to  a  still 
stronger  position,  where  they  could  defy  all  the  efforts  of 
the  enemy  to  dislodge  them." 

The  loss  of  the  Weldon  Railroad  was  indeed  a  severe  blow 
to  Lee,  but  despite  his  efforts  to  regain  it,  our  troops  con 
tinued  to  hold  it. 

SHERIDAN   IN   THE    VALLEY. 

Grant,  with  that  sagacity  which  always  enabled  him  to 
put  the  right  man  in  the  right  place,  after  the  many  fail 
ures  in  the  Shenandoah,  determined  to  send  Sheridan  to  the 
command  there.  Grant  himself  says  he  never  gave  Sheridan 
any  instructions  but  two  words,  "Go  in."  He  asked  Sher 
idan  if  he  could  go  on  Tuesday;  Phil,  replied,  "yes,  on 
Monday,"  and  in  fact  was  off  before  daylight. 

On  the  19th,  he  attacked  Early  at  Opequan,  and  defeat 
ing  him,  drove  him  through  Winchester.  Sheridan  wrote": 
"  Fought  Early  all  day,  whipped  him  at  five  o'clock,  and 
took  five  guns  and  about  five  thousand  prisoners.  Early  is 
whirling  up  the  Valley,  leaving  three  thousand  killed  and 
wounded  on  the  field.  Fitzhugh  Lee  and  two  other  of 
Early's  generals  killed  and  four  reported  wounded.  Push 
ing  vigorously."  What  a  volume  is  contained  in  those  six 
lines.  Glorious,  great,  gallant  little  Phil.  Sheridan,  the 
Murat  of  America. 

Early  having  failed,  Lee  sent  Rosser  to  try  his  hand  on 
Sheridan,  but  in  the  first  fight,  Rosser  was  attacked  in  front, 
flank,  .and  rear,  lost  all  his  ambulances,  caissons,  supplies, 


276  LIFE   OF    GRANT. 

and  wagons,  and  went  flying  back  to  Richmond,  while  "the 
mad  Union  General"  eat  up  Rosser's  preserves  and  good 
things,  and  then  marched  to  Cedar  Creek,  to  devour  Long- 
street,  who  had  been  sent  out  to  reenforce  Early. 

Rapidly  crossing  the  mountains,  Longstreet  forded  the 
North  Fork,  and  creeping  along  the  front  of  Crook's  corps, 
aided  by  the  darkness  and  fog,  he  drew  up,  unobserved,  in 
battle  array  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  our  lines. 
Sheridan  was  absent  and  the  rebels  knew  it. 

Springing  upon  our  lines  with  the  yells  of  demons,  our 
sleeping  troops  were  cut  to  pieces,  and,  bewildered,  fled, 
leaving  guns,  tents,  and  wagons  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 
It  was  a  brilliant  feat,  skillfully  conceived  and  daringly  ex 
ecuted.  But  the  master  mind  was  not  there,  else  it  had 
been  different.  Sheridan  was  at  Winchester,  twenty  miles 
away,  but  hearing  the  faint  booming  of  his  cannon,  he  sprang 
upon  his  horse  and  r.ode  away  like  the  wind  in  the  direction 
of  the  ominous  sound.  A  courier  met  him  to  tell  him  all 
was  lost,  but  burying  the  rowels  in  the  flanks  of  his  pant 
ing  steed,  and  lashing  his  withers  with  the  reins,  he  rode 
madly  on.  Presently  he  met  a  mass  of  defeated  soldiers, 
coatless,  hatless,  shoeless,  running  down  the  road.  "  Halt ! " 
shouted  Sheridan;  "face  the  other  way,  boys,  we  are  going 
back."  The  sight  of  that  horseman,  swinging  his  hat  around 
his  head,  put  new  courage  into  the  defeated  men.  Long 
and  loud  rose  the  cry,  "  Sheridan  is  here !  Sheridan  has 
come  ! "  and  as  the  thousands  heard  that  magic  name,  they 
halted,  loaded  their  guns,  and  faced  to  the  foe.  The  army 
was  in  confusion.  It  had  lost  confidence  in  itself.  But 
the  presence  of  Sheridan  inspired  all  Avith  a  new  hope. 
The  change  was  like  magic. 

Pushing  forward  past  the  stragglers,  who  at  once  began 
to  rally,  he  reached  the  main  body,  repeating  his  fiery 
words.  "  Boys,"  he  added,  "  if  I  had  been  here,  this  never 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  277 

should  have  happened;  we  are  going  back."  Arranging 
and  strengthening  his  lines  while  the  enemy  had,  most  of 
them,  stopped  for  a  time  to  plunder  our  camps,  he  was  just 
in  readiness  to  move  forward,  when  the  rebels  came  in  for  a 
new  and  overwhelming  assault.  Resisting  this  manfully,  he 
caught  its  surge,  and  hurled  it  back ;  assumed  the  offensive ; 
attacked  again  in  two  columns ;  employed  his  cavalry  in 
vigorous  charges  on  both  flanks;  succeeded,  with  Ouster's 
division,  in  turning  their  left  and  rolling  it  up,  and  again 
routed  them.  Thus  he  snatched  victory  out  of  the  jaws  of 
defeat.  And  all  this — no  one  can  gainsay  it — was  due  to 
the  brilliant  genius  and  personal  elan  of  Sheridan  himself. 
The  slaughter  of  the  enemy  was  great.  We  captured  almost 
every  thing  they  had,  including  the  guns  and  camps  which 
we  had  lost  in  the  morning.  Sheridan  was  every- where  to 
be  seen  urging  his  men  to  press  on  after  the  retreating  foe, 
which  had  become  a  rout.  The  rebels  being  chased  through 
the  streets  of  Middletown,  and  on  to  Mount  Jackson,  over 
two  thousand  broke  and  ran  down  the  mountain,  throwing 
away  arms,  knapsacks,  and  blankets  to  aid  in  securing 
safety.  The  rebel  loss  was  about  three  thousand  killed, 
seven  thousand  prisoners,  many  of  them  wounded,  fifty-five 
cannon,  a  great  number  of  small  arms,  ten  battle-flags,  and 
over  three  hundred  wagons  and  ambulances.  The  Union 
officers  suffered  severely,  in  one  -of  General  Grover's 
brigades,  every  field  officer  being  killed  or  disabled ;  in 
another  only  three  were  left.  The  Union  loss  in  killed, 
wounded,  and  missing  was  four  thousand  and  eighty-six. 
No  one  wras  more  gratified  than  Grant,  who,  as  soon  as  he 
heard  the  news,  telegraphed  to  the  Secretary  of  War 
these  wTords  : 

"I  had  a  salute  of  one  hundred  guns  fired  from  each  of 
the    armies    here,    in    honor    of    Sheridan's    last    victory. 


278  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

Turning  what  bid  fair  to  be  a  disaster  into  a  glorious 
victory,  stamps  Sheridan,  what  I  have  always  thought  him, 
one  of  the  ablest  of  generals. 

"U.  S.  GRANT,  Lieutenant- General" 

The  President  wrote  to  Sheridan : 

"EXECUTIVE  MANSION,  WASHINGTON,  Oct.  22,  1864. 
"  MAJOR-GENERAL  SHERIDAN  :  With  great  pleasure  I 
tender  to  you  and  your  brave  army  the  thanks  of  the  nation, 
and  my  own  personal  admiration  and  gratitude  for  the 
month's  operations  in  the  Shenaridoah  Valley,  and  especially 
for  the  splendid  work  of  October  19th. 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"ABRAHAM  LINCOLN." 

The  resignation  of  George  B.  McClellan  having  been 
accepted,  the  President  ordered : 

"That  for  personal  gallantry,  military  skill,  and  just 
confidence  in  the  courage  and  patriotism  of  his  trodps,  dis 
played  by  Philip  H.  Sheridan  on  the  19th  of  October,  at 
Cedar  Run,  whereby,  under  the  blessing  of  Providence,  his 
routed  army  was  reorganized,  a  great  national  disaster 
averted,  and  a  brilliant  victory  achieved  over  the  rebels  for 
the  third  time  in  pitched  battle  within  thirty  days,  Philip  H. 
Sheridan  is  appointed  major-general  in  the  United  States 
Army,  to  rank  as  such  from  the  8th  day  of  November, 
1864." 

The  enemy  now  abandoned  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  and 
Grant  withdrew  the  Sixth  Corps.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  linger 
over  the  deeds  of  Sheridan,  for  of  all  the  brilliant  men  pro 
duced  by  this  war,  none  can  compete  in  personal  daring 
with  glorious  Phil.  Sheridan. 

Sherman,  with  sixty  thousand  men  and  three  thousand 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  279 

wagons,  had  swept  across  the  Confederacy.  His  trail  was 
sixty  miles  wide  and  three  hundred  long. 

The  destruction  was  awful.  The  army  marched  the 
whole  distance  in  twenty-four  days.  In  the  entire  com 
mand,  but  five  hundred  and  sixty-seven  men  of  all  ranks 
were  either  killed  or  wounded.  Ten  thousand  negroes, 
liberating  themselves,  entered  Savannah  in  the  train  of  the 
army.  Thirteen  hundred  and  thirty-eight  of  the  Confed 
erate  army  were  made  prisoners.  Twenty  thousand  bales 
of  cotton  were  burned,  beside  twenty-five  thousand  captured 
at  Savannah.  Thirteen  thousand  head  of  beef-cattle,  nine 
million  five  hundred  thousand  pounds  of  corn,  and  ten 
million  five  hundred  thousand  pounds  of  fodder  were  taken 
from  the  country.  Foragers  were  every  day  sent  out, 
along  the  whole  line  of  route,  to  gather  all  the  sheep,  hogs, 
turkeys,  geese,  chickens,  sweet  potatoes,  and  rice  from  the 
plantations.  Five  thousand  horses  and  four  thousand  mules 
were  impressed  for  the  cavalry  and  trains.  Three  hundred 
and  twenty  miles  of  railway  were  destroyed,  by  burning 
every  tie,  twisting  every  rail  while  heated  red  hot  over  the 
flaming  piles  of  the  ties,  and  laying  in  ruins  every  depot, 
engine-house,  repair-tank,  water-tank,  and  turn-table. 
Thus  the  communication  between  the  Confederate  armies  in 
Virginia  and  in  the  West  was  effectually  severed.  General 
Sherman  estimated  the  damage  done  to  the  State  of  Georgia 
at  a  hundred  million  dollars.  Of  this,  twenty  million  dollars 
inured  to  our  advantage.  The  remainder  was  simple  waste 
and  destruction.  Such  is  war. 

Grant,  who  knew  all  about  Sherman's  campaign,  was 
only  waiting  for  him  to  reach  the  right  place,  and  then  the 
order  to  assault  Lee  would  be  given.  A  good  many  have 
claimed  the  exclusive  honor  of  the  march  to  the  sea  for 
Sherman,  but  it  was  only  a  part  of  the  great  whole  of 
which  Grant  was  the  head. 


280  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

Sherman  himself  said,  in  a  speech  made  after  the  close 
of  the  war  at  Louisville : 

"While  we  are  here  together  to-night,  let  me  tell  you, 
as  a  point  of  historical  interest,  that  here,  upon  this  spot, 
in  this  very  hotel,  and,  I  think,  almost  in  the  room  through 
which  I  reached  this  balcony,  General  Grant  and  I  laid 
down  our  maps  and  studied  the  campaign  which  ended  the 
war.  I  had  been  away  down  in  Mississippi,  finishing  up 
an  unfinished  job  I  had  done  there,  when  General  Grant 
called  for  me,  by  telegraph,  to  meet  him  in  Nashville.  But 
we  were  bothered  so  much  there  that  we  came  up  here,  and 
in  this  hotel  sat  down  with  our  maps,  and  talked  over  the 
lines  and  the  operations  by  means  of  which  wre  were  to 
reach  the  heart  of  our  enemy.  He  went  to  Richmond,  and 
I  to  Atlanta.  The  result  was  just  as  we  laid  it  out  in  this 
hotel,  in  March,  1864." 


LIFE   OF   GEANT.  281 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

THE    SITUATION — BEGINNING    OF    THE    END ANECDOTES    OF    GRANT — SHER 
IDAN    LOOSE     AGAIN — INTERVIEW     BETWEEN     LINCOLN,     GRANT,     MEADE, 

SHERIDAN,    AND    SHERMAN ADVANCE   OF    THE    FIFTH    CORPS SHERIDAN 

AT    FIVE    FORKS CAPTURE    OF    PETERSBURG ADVANCE   OF   THE    ARMY 

THE  FIGHTING FALL  OF  RICHMOND THE  REBEL  RAMS  BLOWN  UP — COR 
RESPONDENCE  BETWEEN    GRANT  AND   LEE SHERIDAN   AT    THE   APPOMAT- 

TOX INTERVIEW    BETWEEN    GRANT    AND     LEE TERMS     OF    SURRENDER 

PROPOSED LEE  SURRENDERS   HIS  ARMY SCENES  OF    THE    SURRENDER 

FORM  OF  PAROLE NUMBER  OF  PRISONERS  TAKEN  BY  GRANT SHERMANS 

MOVEMENTS THE  END THE  MARCH   HOMEWARD REVIEW  AT  WASHING 
TON — GRANT  TAKES   LEAVE   OF  HIS   ARMY GRANT  AT  HOME. 

THE  sagacious  Grant  now  saw  the  rebellion  drawing  to 
a  close,  and  was  doubling  for  his  final  spring  upon  it.  This 
was  the  situation :  Sherman  at  Savannah,  Hood's  army  de 
feated,  and  General  Price  driven  out  of  Missouri,  Early 
used  up  by  Sheridan  in  the  Shenandoah,  Breckinridge  check 
mated  in  East  Tennessee,  Canby  operating  effectually  in 
Louisiana,  and  preparing  to  capture  Mobile,  and  Grant  at 
Richmond  holding  Lee  in  a  vice  from  which  there  was  no 
escape. 

Grant  was  drawing  his  lines  close  about  Petersburg,  but 
the  public,  thrilled  with  the  brilliant  operations  of  Sherman 
and  Sheridan,  were  impatient  for  him  to  attack  Lee.  Even 
some  of  Grant's  generals  were  grumbling  at  his  delay.  An 
anecdote  is  told  of  Grant,  which  is  worth  relating  in  this 
connection.  When  General  Grant  went  to  the  army  of  the 
Potomac,  he  knew  that  a  good  deal  of  jealousy  existed  be- 


282  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

tween  the  different  generals,  and  that  one  cause  of  the  re 
peated  failures  of  that  army  was  the  jealousy  of  subordinates 
toward  former  commanding  generals.  Determined  to  obviate 
this,  if  possible,  he  gave  each  general  his  orders  without 
consulting  the  others.  One  day,  having  occasion  to  make 
an  important  move,  he  called  several  of  the  generals  together 
at  his  head-quarters.  Of  course  each  one  came  prepared 
to  debate  the  several  propositions  submitted,  but  imagine 
their  surprise  when  the  general  did  not  ask  their  opinion 
on  a  single  point.  After  talking  pleasantly  to  them  for 
some  time  about  the  weather,  the  crops,  troops,  and  other 
common-place  matters,  the  general  took  from  his  table  a 
well-marked  map  and  said,  "Gentlemen,  I  wish  to  make 
an  important  movement,  and  will  show  you  the  route  you 
are  to  march."  He  then  pointed  out  and  explained  mi 
nutely  what  he  wanted  done.  Folding  up  the  map,  Grant 
drew  from  a  drawer  in  his  desk  several  sealed  envelopes, 
and  handing  one  to  each  of  the  generals  said,  "Here  are 
your  orders,  and  maps  of  your  route  as  explained  to  you; 
be  sure,  gentlemen,  and  be  on  time."  Then  getting  up,  he 
lit  his  cigar  and  put  on  his  hat,  as  much  as  to  say,  "it  is 
unnecessary  to  talk  further  about  the  matter."  The  gene 
rals  departed,  and  as  two  of  them  were  mounting  their  horses 
to  ride  away,  one  said,  laughingly  to  the  other,  "Egad,  we 
have  got  our  master  at  last,  and  there  is  nothing  left  for  us 
to  do  but  obey  orders." 

One  day  during  the  Petersburg  campaign,  as  Grant  was 
walking  along  the  river  bank,  he  saw  several  private  soldiers 
who  were  engaged  in  unloading  from  a  transport  what  they 
called  "salt  horse."  The  soldiers  were  in  charge  of  a  lieu 
tenant  of  a  New  York  regiment,  who  took  every  occasion  to 
show  his  authority.  To  one  of  his  abusive  remarks  one  of 
the  privates  made  reply,  whereupon  the  lieutenant  admin 
istered  severe  kicks  to  the  offender,  who  offered  no  resist- 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  283 

ance,  but  continued  on  with  liis  work.  Grant,  who  was  a 
short,  thick  set  man,  and  wore  a  slouched  hat  arid  rather 
seedy  officer's  cloak,  had  been  standing  for  some  time 
watching  the  operations  going  on,  and  when  he  sa^v  the 
officer  strike  the  soldier,  he  threw  off  his  cloak  and  coat, 
and  proceeded  to  help  unload  the  transport.  After  the  task 
was  accomplished,  he  donned  his  coat  and  cloak,  and  asked 
the  lieutenant,  in  very  civil  terms,  his  name  and  regiment. 
"Lieutenant  —  of  the  —  New  York  Volunteers.  By  what 
authority  do  you  dare  ask  such  a  question  ?  "  "  Report 
yourself  immediately  to  your  colonel  under  arrest,  by  order 
of  General  Grant,  for  cruelty  to  your  men  ;  and  remember 
that  abuse  of  privates  by  officers  is  not  tolerated  by  the  pres 
ent  commander  of  this  army,"  replied  the  "  thick-set  "  officer, 
lighting  a  cigar,  and  walking  slowly  away. 

The  end  had  now  come.  Sherman's  columns  had  united 
at  Goldsboro',  and  he  was  moving  majestically  on,  driving 
the  rebels  before  him.  Hood,  crippled  and  bleeding,  was 
creeping  away  from  Thomas,  and  Canby  was  marching  on 
Mobile.  Grant,  sending  orders  to  Thomas  to  push  out  his 
cavalry  after  the  rebels,  and  sending  another  expedition  into 
the  Confederacy  from  Vicksburg,  ordered  Sheridan  to  cut 
through  the  Confederacy  in  Virginia,  while  he  himself  pre 
pared  to  assault  Lee. 

Like  a  thunderbolt  Sheridan  fell  upon  Early  in  his  forti 
fied  camp  at  Waynesboro',  overturned  him,  capturing  sixteen 
hundred  prisoners,  eleven  guns,  arid  two  hundred  wagons, 
with  seventeen  battle-flags,  after  which  he  marched  to  Char- 
lottesville,  New  Market,  and  from  thence  to  White  House, 
where  he  communicated  with  Grant. 

On  the  29th  of  March,  1865,  Ord  was  at  Hatcher's  Run, 
with  two  divisions  under  Gibbon,  one  under  Burney,  and 
McKenzie's  cavalry. 

On  the  28th  Sheridan  had  marched  for  Dinwiddie  Court- 


284  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

house  with  five  thousand  men  under  Merritt,  and  three  thou 
sand  under  Crook.  On  the  29th,  ^t  5  o'clock,  he  arrived  at 
the  Court-house  and  received  the  following  instructions  from 
Grant : 

"GRAVELLY  RUN,  March  29,  1865. 

"GENERAL:  Our  line  is  now  unbroken  from  the  Appo- 
mattox  to  Dinwiddie.  We  are  all  ready,  however,  to  give 
up  all  from  the  Jerusalem  plank  road  to  Hatcher's  Run, 
whenever  the  forces  can  be  used  advantageously.  After 
getting  into  line  south  of  Hatcher's,  we  pushed  forward  to 
find  the  enemy's  position.  General  Griffin  was  attacked 
near  where  the  Quaker  road  intersects  the  Boydton  road, 
but  repulsed  it  easily,  capturing  about  one  hundred  men. 
Humphreys  reached  Dabney's  mill,  and  was  pushing  on 
when  last  heard  from. 

"I  now  feel  like  ending  the  matter,  if  it  is  possible  to  do 
so,  before  going  back.  I  do  not  want  you,  therefore,  to  cut 
loose  and  go  after  the  enemy's  roads  at  present.  In  the 
morning,  push  round  the  enemy  if  you  can,  and  get  on  to  his 
right  rear.  The  movements  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  may, 
of  course,  modify  your  action.  We  will  act  all  together  as 
one  army  here,  until  it  is  seen  what  can  be  done  with  the 
enemy.  The  signal  officer  at  Cobb's  Hill  reported  at  11:30 
A.  M.,  that  a  cavalry  column  had  passed  that  point  from 
Richmond  toward  Petersburg,  taking  forty  minutes  to  pass. 
"U.  S.  GRANT,  Lieutenant- General. 

"MAJOR-GENERAL  P.  II.  SHERIDAN." 

On  the  day  before,  General  Sherman  had  arrived  at 
Grant's  head-quarters,  where  Mr.  Lincoln  also  was.  An 
eye-witness  gives  the  following  account  of  the  interview  be 
tween  the  illustrious  men  there  assembled : 

"I  was  sitting  in  the  office  of  General  Grant's  adjutant- 
general,  on  the  morning  of  the  28th  of  March,  and 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  285 

President  Lincoln,  with  Generals  Grant,  Sherman,  Meadc, 
and  Sheridan,  coming  up  the  walk.  Look  at  the  men  whose 
names  are  to  have  a  conspicuous  place  in  the  annals  of 
America:  Lincoln — tall,  round-shouldered,  loose-jointed, 
large-featured,  deep-eyed,  with  a  smile  upon  his  face;  he  is 
dressed  in  deep  black,  and  wears  a  fashionable  silk  hat. 
Grant  is  at  Lincoln's  right,  shorter,  stouter,  more  compact; 
wears  a  military  hat,  with  a  stiif,  broad  brim;  has  his  hands 
in  his  pantaloons  pocket,  and  is  puffing  away  at  a  cigar, 
while  listening  to  Sherman.  Sherman  —  tall,  with  high, 
commanding  forehead,  is  almost  as  loosely  built  as  Lincoln ; 
has  sandy  whiskers,  closely  cropped,  and  sharp,  twinkling 
eyes,  long  arms  and  legs,  shabby  coat,  slouch  hat,  his  pants 
tucked  into  his  boots.  He  is  talking  hurriedly,  gesticulating 
now  to  Lincoln,  now  to  Grant,  his  eyes  wandering  every 
where.  Meade — also  tall,  with  thin,  sharp  features,  a  gray 
beard,  and  spectacles  ;  is  a  little  stooping  in  his  gait.  Sher 
idan — the  shortest  of  all,  quick  and  energetic  in  all  his 
movements,  with  a  face  bronzed  by  sun  and  wind ;  courte 
ous,  affable,  a  thorough  soldier.  The  plan  of  the  lieutenant- 
general  was  then  made  known  to  his  subordinates,  and  each 
departed,  during  the  day,  to  carry  into  execution  the  re 
spective  parts  assigned  them." 

"  Meantime  the  Second  Corps  had  left"  their  intrench- 
ments  near  Hatcher's  Run,  and  advanced  out  along  the 
Vaughn  road.  The  Fifth  Corps,  which  had  been  stationed 
in  the  rear,  of  the  Second,  at  three  and  a  half  o'clock  A. 
M.,  started,  going  over  by-roads  across  the  country,  so  as 
to  reach  the  Vaughn  road  at  a  point  beyond  where  the 
Second  Corps  was  to  march.  LTp  to  this  time,  General 
Ayer's  division  taking  the  lead,  one  brigade  under  General 
Gwin  was  posted  at  Scott's  House  to  cover  the  Vaughn 
road,  while  the  remainder  of  the  division  was  held  in 
reserve.  Griffin's  division  was  then  placed  in  advance. 


286  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

The  column  now  left  the  Vaughn  road,  at  a  point  distant 
about  four  miles  from  Dinwiddie  Court-house,  and  advanced 
up  the  Quaker  road  in  the  direction  of  Boydton  plank 
road,  some  three  miles  distant.  A  short  distance  from 
here  the -troops  found  a  line  of  abandoned  rebel  breast 
works,  from  which  their  pickets  had  just  retired.  Skir 
mishers  were  now  thrown  forward,  and  sharp  firing  com 
menced;  the  skirmishers  crossing  an  open  plateau,  the 
further  side  of  which  Bushrod  Johnson's  rebel  divisions 
were  posted.  The  first  brigade  of  Griffin's  division  was 
now  ordered  forward  to  support  the  skirmishers,  and  when 
within  rifle-shot  of  the  woods,  a  tremendous  volley  of 
musketry  greeted  their  advance,  causing  them  to  waver  and 
fall  back.  The  Second  Brigade  now  came  up  to  the  sup 
port  of  the  first,  which  caused  the  latter  to  rally  and  stand 
firm.  In  the  meantime,  battery  B,  of  the  First  United 
States,  was  got  into  position  and  commenced  firing  with 
effect.  While  the  fight  was  in  progress,  General  Warren 
was  engaged  in  forming  his  line  of  battle  on  the  right  and 
left  of  the  Quaker  road.  The  enemy,  seeing  that  a  large 
force  was  being  moved  against  them,  retired  to  a  point 
further  back.  Sheridan  was  on  the  extreme  left  at  Din 
widdie  Court-house ;  Mead's  head-quarters  were  on  the 
Vaughn  road,  three  miles  beyond  Hatcher's  Run,  and 
General  Grant's  about  a  mile  further  out. 

With  an  impetuosi-ty  that  could  not  be  resisted,  Sheridan 
rushed  forward  and  seized  the  Five  Forks,  but  the  enemy 
had  made  head  a.gainst  Warren,  and  were  now  driving  back 
the  Fifth  Corps.  Sheridan's  position  was  perilous  in  the 
extreme,  but  he  fought  desperately,  retiring  slowly  toward 
Dinwiddie  Court-house.  Humphreys  now  advanced,  driving 
the  enemy  before  him  to  Burgess'  Mill,  and  Ord  and 
Wright  were  preparing  to  go  in.  Grant,  anxious  for  Sheri 
dan's  safety,  sent  the  Fifth  Corps  to  report  to  him,  but  it 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  287 

came  up  so  slowly,  the  impatient  soldier  censured  its  com 
mander,  General  Warren. 

Sunday,  April  2d,  at  four  o'clock,  A.  M.,  the -time  for 
action  had  now  come.  General  Parke,  in  front  of  Peters 
burg,  was  pressing  close  up  to  the  town.  His  divisions 
were :  Wilcox  on  the  right,  resting  on  the  Appomattox ; 
Hartranft"  in  the  center;  Potter,  with  the  Second  Division, 
was  on  the  left,  joining  Wheaton,  of  the  Sixth  Corps.  The 
plan  was  for  Wilcox  to  make  a  feint  upon  the  rebel  front 
on  the  Appomattox.  It  was  promptly  and  vigorously  made, 
the  men  creeping  up  to  within  a  few  feet  of  the  rebel  fort. 
At  the  word  of  command,  the  gallant  First  Division  sprang 
to  its  feet,  and,  with  a  yell,  rushed  on  the  work.  At  a 
quarter  past  four  o'clock  they  were  in  the  fort,  having 
captured  the  garrison  of  fifty  men  and  four  guns.  This  was 
the  feint  of  Wilcox.  Hartranft  and  Potter  advanced  about 
the  same  time,  and  in  the  same  manner,  stealing  up  under 
cover  of  darkness,  they,  without  firing  a  gun,  sprang 
forward,  capturing  four  forts,  twenty-seven  guns,  and 
hundreds  of  prisoners.  Thus  at  daylight  Parke,  without 
loss,  had  gained  possession  of  the  rebel  lines  in  his  front. 
The  Sixth  Corps  had  simultaneously  begun  their  work. 
Wheaton  on  the  right,  Seymour  in  the  center,  and  Getty 
on  the  left,  joining  at  Fort  Sampson  the  new  line  of  the 
Twenty-fourth  Corps,  with  Foster's  division  on  the  right. 
Wright's  corps  had  to  sustain  a  volley  in  their  advance,  but 
they  carried  the  rebel  line,  and  not  five  minutes  elapsed 
fix  TI  the  time  Wright  gave  the  signal  to  storm,  before 
Generals  Seymour,  Wheaton,  and  Getty  were  over  the  line 
and  in  possession  of  all  the  rebel  guns.  All  the  regiments 
did  their  duty.  In  the  first  charge  Wheaton  took  twelve 
pieces  of  artillery,  and  nearly  the  entire  Mississippi  brigade 
of  Heth's  division ;  thus,  by  five  o'clock,  the  rebels  were 
driven  from  all  their  outer  works  on  the  south  and  west  of 


288  LIFE   OF   GRANT. 

Petersburg.  At  seven  o'clock,  the  Second  and  Twenty- 
fourth  Corps  began  the  work  assigned  them.  Turner  and 
Foster,  of  the  Twenty-fourth  Corps,  made  the  assault  and 
carried  the  rifle  lines  with  little  loss,  while  the  Second  Corps 
advanced  immediately  on  the  opposite  side  of  Hatcher's 
Hun.  The  advance  of  this  corps  was  a  gradual  ascent  all 
the  way.  Colonel  Olmstead  and  Colonel  Mclvor,  of  the 
First  and  Second  Brigades,  rushed  into  the  two  forts  before 
them,  capturing  five  guns  and  a  large  number  of  prisoners, 
with  the  loss  of  only  ten  men.  The  Nineteenth  Massachu 
setts  and  the  Seventh  Michigan,  the  far  East  and  far  West, 
join  hands  this  Sunday  morning  in  the  "last  ditch"  of  the 
rebellion.  Other  forts  were  taken  by  New  York,  Pennsyl 
vania,  and  New  Jersey  troops.  Thus,  by  eight  o'clock,  the 
entire  rebel  line,  from  the  Appomattox  to  Burgess'  Mill, 
had  every-where  been  broken,  and  the  Sixth  Corps  had 
swung  round  and  was  facing  Petersburg  from  the  west. 
The  Twenty  fourth  Corps  was  inarching  from  Hatcher's 
Kun  east  inside  the  rebel  line,  and  the  Second  Corps  in  the 
same  direction  on  the  Boydton  road.  Every  soldier  looked 
as  if  he  understood  the  mighty  events  taking  place.  The 
smile  of  triumph  was  on  every  lip,  the ^  sparkle  of  joy  in 
every  eye. 

General  Grant,  having  left  his  head- quarters  at  Dabney 
Mills  to  overlook  the  work  yet  to  be  done,  came  riding 
along  the  lines  on  a  trot,  cheer  upon  cheer  every-where 
saluted  him,  and  nothing  ever  equaled  the  enthusiasm.  The 
military  genius  of  Napoleon  in  his  Italian  campaigns  was 
growing  dim  before  the  splendor  of  the  great  American 
general.  Few  things  in  the  annals  of  war  can  compete 
with  the  genius  displayed  by  Grant  in  his  final  operations 
around  Richmond.  Sheridan  had  done  splendid  work  in 
front  of  Dinwiddie  Court-house.  As  soon  as  the  Fifth 
Corps  got  up,  he  assaulted  the  enemy  again  in  front  of 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  289 

Ayres',  Crawford's,  and  Griffin's  divisions,  while  Merritt  and 
McKerizie,  with  their  cavalry,  fell  upon  the  rebel's  right  flank. 

The  enemy  were  driven  from  their  strong  line  of  works 
and  completely  routed,  the  Fifth  "Corps  doubling  up  their 
left  flank  in  confusion,  and  the  cavalry  of  General  Merritt 
dashing  on  to  the  White  Oak  road,  capturing  their  artillery 
arid  turning  it  upon  them,  and  riding  into  their  broken 
ranks,  so  demoralized  them,  that  they  made  no  serious 
stand  after  their  line  was  carried,  but  took  to  flight  in 
disorder. 

Between  five  thousand  and  six  thousand  prisoners  fell 
into  our  hands,  and  the  fugitives  were  driven  westward,  and 
were  pursued  till  long  after  dark  by  Merritt's  and  McKen- 
zie's  cavalry,  for  a  distance  of  six  miles. 

During  the  fighting  of  the  Fifth  Corps,  the  Second  and 
Third  Divisions  were  driven  back  in  confusion.  General 
Griffin  rode  up  to  General  J.  Lawrence  Chamberlain,  and 
said : 

"General,  the  Fifth  Corps  is  disgraced.  I  have  told 
General  Warren  that  you  can  retake  that  field.  Will  you 
save  the  honor  of  the  corps?" 

It  was  an  appalling  undertaking.  With  one  brigade, 
already  exhausted  by  hard  fighting,  and  weakened  by 
severe  loss,  General  Chamberlain  was  to  attack  the  foe 
flushed  with  victory.  He  formed  his  lines,  dashed  through 
the  stream,  and  drove  the  enemy  back  for  more  than  a 
mile  to  the  edge  of  a  hill.  Here,  as  the  enemy  appeared  in 
greater  force,  he  was  ordered  to  halt,  that  the  strength  and 
position  of  the  foe  might  be  ascertained.  But  he  begged 
permission  to  press  on,  asking  only  for  several  regiments 
to  support  his  flanks  en  echelon.  He  then,  upon  the  double- 
quick,  swept  the  field,  and  gained  a  lodgment  on  the  Wrhite 
Oak  road,  which  enabled  the  Fifth  Corps  to  render  essen 
tial  service  in  cutting  off  the  retreat  of  Lee. 
19 


290  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

The  night  of  the  2d  of  April  was  one  of  consternation 
and  terror  in  Richmond.  The  people  had  been  lulled  by 
the  long  years  of  security,  and  deceived  by  their  leaders. 
No  intelligent  man  doubted  the  result,  but  the  hoodwinked 
populace  still  believed  that  Richmond  was  impregnable,  and 
would  never  be  evacuated.  Their  eyes  were  now  suddenly 
opened.  Without  warning,  it  was  now  announced,  while 
Jeff.  Davis  was  in  church  (for  it  was  Sunday),  that  the  army 
was  evacuating  the  city,  and  that  the  "Federals"  would 
enter  at  once.  Lee,  who  had  long  before  seen  the  folly  of 
continuing  the  struggle,  had  been  overruled  by  Jeff.  Davis ; 
but  now  there  was  no  choice.  The  army  left  that  night, 
in  frantic  haste,  to  move  by  the  Danville  road,  and  form  a 
junction  with  Johnston.  But  it  was  too  late. 

On  the  3d,  Sheridan  followed  with  cavalry,  striking  for 
Danville,  to  head  off  Lee's  retreat.  On  the  same  day, 
General  Weitzel  entered  Richmond  at  eight  and  a  quarter 
o'clock  in  the  morning. 

Thus  the  great  capital  of  treason  and  rebellion,  which 
had  defied  the  L^nion  army  for  four  years,  fell.  Richmond 
and  Petersburg  were  now  captured,  hundreds  of  guns  and 
thousands  of  prisoners  taken,  Lee's  army  demoralized, 
shattered,  broken,  and  driven  to  the  four  winds.  This  is 
the  history  of  the  day.  How  can  it  be  told?  what  pen  CUD 
write  it  ?  or  who  comprehend  the  magnitude  of  the  issue? 
decided  by  this  mighty  event?  Two  hundred  and  forty-five 
years  ago,  on  this  very  spot,  our  traffic  in  human  flesh 
began.  During  this  long  period  the  earnest  prayers  and 
agonizing  groans  of  an  outraged  people  had  been  ascending 
to  the  throne  of  God.  They  have  not  been  in  vain.  Let  it 
forever  be  remembered  that  Washington  gave  us  a  country, 
but  this  day's  victory  made  it  free. 

On  the  night  of  the  2d,  the  rebel  rams  Virginia  and 
Rappahannock,  which  were  lying  in  the  James  River  near 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  291 

Hewlett  House,  had  been  blown  up  about  midnight,  shaking 
the  earth  like  a  volcano,  and  strewing  the  river  for  miles 
with  the  wrecks. 

On  the  5th,  Grant,  feeling  that  the  war  in  Virginia  was 
nearly  over,  wrote  Sherman : 

"WILSON'S  STATION,  April  5;  1865. 

"  GENERAL  :  All  indications  now  are  that  Lee  will  attempt 
to  reach  Danville  with  the  remnant  of  his  force.  Sheridan, 
who  was  up  with  him  last  night,  reports  all  that  is  left — 
horse,  foot,  and  dragoons — at  twenty  thousand,  much 
demoralized.  We  hope  to  reduce  this  number  one-half.  I 
shall  push  on  to  Burkesville,  and  if  a  stand  is  made  at 
Danville,  will  in  a  few  days  go  there.  If  you  can  possibly 
do  so,  push  on  from  where  you  are,  and  let  us  see  if  we  can 
not  finish  the  job  with  Lee's  and  Johnston's  armies. 
Whether  it  will  be  better  for  you  to  strike  for  Greensboro', 
or  nearer  to  Danville,  you  will  be  better  able  to  judge  when 
you  receive  this.  Rebel  armies  now  are  the  only  strategic 
points  to  strike  at. 

"U.  S.  GRANT,  Lieutenant- General. 

"MAJOR-GENERAL  W.  T.  SHERMAN." 
• 

On  the  6th,  Sheridan  struck  the  rebels  south  of  Sailors' 
Creek,  near  the  Appomattox,  and  fought  a  battle,  capturing 
sixteen  guns,  four  hundred  wagons,  and  delaying  the  enemy 
until  the  Sixth  Corps  could  come  up,  when  a  combined 
attack  was  made,  and  seven  thousand  prisoners,  including 
several  generals,  were  taken.  On  the  7th,  the  pursuit  was 
continued  by  both  infantry  and  cavalry,  and  so  close  were 
our  forces  on  the  heels  of  the  rebels,  that  they  were  unable 
to  destroy  the  bridges  behind  them.  In  the  evening  of  this 
day,  Grant  being  prepared  to  strike,  and  feeling  confident  it 
would  bo  useless  for  Lee  to  further  resist,  sent  him  the  fol 
lowing  note : 


292  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

"APRIL  7th,  1S65. 

"  The  result  of  the  last  week  must  convince  you  of  the 
hopelessness  of  further  resistance,  on  the  part  of  the  Army 
of  Northern  Virginia  in  this  struggle.  I  feel  that  it  is  so, 
and  regard  it  as  my  duty  to  shift  from  myself  the  responsi 
bility  of  any  further  effusion  of  blood,  by  asking  of  you  the 
surrender  of  that  portion  of  the  Confederate  States  Army- 
known  as  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia. 

"U.  S.  GRANT,  Lieutenant- General 
"GENERAL  R.  £.  LEE." 

On  the  8th,  Grant,  who  was  then  at  Farmville,  received 
the  following  reply  from  General  Lee  : 

"APRIL  7th,  1865. 

"GENERAL  :  I  have  just  received  your  note  of  this  date. 
Though  not  entertaining  the  opinion  you  express  of  the 
hopelessness  of  further  resistance  on  the  part  of  the  Army 
of  Northern  Virginia,  I  reciprocate  your  desire  to  avoid  use 
less  effusion  of  blood;  and,  therefore,  before  considering 
your  proposition,  ask  the  terms  you  will  offer  on  condition 
of  its  surrender. 

"R.  E.  LEE,  General 

"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL  U.  S.  GRANT." 

To  this,  Grant  replied : 

"APRIL  8th,  1865. 

"  GENERAL  :  Your  note  of  last  evening  in  reply  to  mine  of 
the  same  date,  asking  the  condition  on  which  I  will  accept 
the  surrender  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  is  just  re 
ceived.  In  reply  I  would  say,  that,  peace  being  my  first 
desire,  there  is  but  one  condition  I  insist  upon;  namely,  that 
the  men  surrendered  shall  be  disqualified  for  taking  up  arms 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  293 

against  the  Government  of  the  United  States,  until  properly 
exchanged.  I  will  meet  you,  or  will  designate  officers  to 
meet  any  officers  you  may  name  for  the  same  purpose,  at 
any  point  agreeable  to  you,  for  the  purpose  of  arranging 
definitely  the  terms  upon  which  the  surrender  of  the  Army 
of  Northern  Virginia  will  be  received. 

"U.  S.  GRANT,  Lieutenant- General. 
"GENERAL  R  E.  LEE." 

Meanwhile,  the  pursuit  was  being  continued.  The  infan 
try  were  pushing  with  all  haste  for  Appomattox  Station,  and 
on  the  afternoon  of  the  8th,  Sheridan  struck  the  Appomattox 
Railroad,  whipped  the  enemy,  and  captured  twenty-five  guns 
and  four  trains  of  cars. 

The  same  day,  Lee  wrote  to  Grant : 

"APRIL  8th,  1865. 

"  GENERAL  :  I  received,  at  a  late  hour,  your  note  of  to 
day.  In  mine  of  yesterday,  I  did  not  intend  to  propose  the 
surrender  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  but  to  ask  the 
terms  of  your  proposition.  To  be  frank,  I  do  not  think  the 
emergency  has  arisen  to  call  for  the  surrender  of  this  army ; 
but  as  the  restoration  of  peace  should  be  the  sole  object  of 
all,  I  desired  to  know  whether  your  proposals  would  lead  to 
that  end.  I  can  not,  therefore,  meet  you  with  a  view  to  sur 
render  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia;  but  so  far  as  your 
proposal  may  affect  the  Confederate  State  forces  under  my 
command,  and  tend  to  the  restoration  of  peace,  I  should  be 
pleased  to  meet  you  at  10  A.  M.  to-morrow,  on  the  old  stage 
road  to  Richmond,  between  the  picket  lines  of  the  two 
armies. 

"R.  E.  LEE,  General. 

"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL  U.  S.  GRANT." 

Grant  next  day  replied: 


294  LIFE   OF   GRANT. 

"APRIL  9th,  18G5. 

"GENERAL:  Your  note  of  yesterday  is  received.  I  have 
no  authority  to  treat  on  the  subject  of  peace;  the  meeting 
proposed  for  10  A.  M.  to-day,  could  lead  to  no  good.  I 
will  state,  however,  General,  that  I  am  equally  anxious  for 
peace  with  yourself,  and  the  whole  North  entertains  the 
same  feeling.  The  terms  upon  which  peace  can  be  had  are 
well  understood.  By  the  South  laying  down  their  arms  they 
will  hasten  that  most  desirable  event,  save  thousands  of  hu 
man  lives,  and  hundreds  of  millions  of  property  not  yet  des 
troyed.  Sincerely  hoping  that  all  our  difficulties  may  be 
settled  without  the  loss  of  another  life, 
"  I  subscribe  myself,  etc., 

"U.  S.  GRANT,  Lieutenant- General. 
"GENERAL  R.  E.  LEE." 

Lee  at  once  wrote  Grant : 

"APRIL  9th,  1865. 

"  GENERAL  :  I  received  your  note  of  this  morning,  on  the 
picket  line,  whither  I  had  come  to  meet  you,  and  ascertain 
definitely  what  terms  were  embraced  in  your  proposal  of 
yesterday,  with  reference  to  the  surrender  of  this  army.  I 
now  ask  an  interview  in  accordance  with  the  offer  contained 
in  your  letter  of  yesterday,  for  that  purpose. 

"R.  E.  LEE,  General. 
"  LIEUTENANT-GENERAL  U.  S.  GRANT." 

The  two  great  captains,  accompanied  each  by  three  offi 
cers,  met  in  the  road  between  the  lines  near  the  house  of 
Mr.  W.  McLean.  After  shaking  hands,  the  two  Generals 
entered  the  house  and  the  following  terms  of  surrender  were 
agreed  upon.  Grant  wrote  : 

"  I  propose  to   receive  the   surrender  of  the   Army  of 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  295 

Northern  Virginia  on  the  following  terms — to  wit :  Rolls  of 
all  the  officers  and  men  to  be  made  in  duplicate,  one  copy  to 
be  given  to  an  officer  to  be  designated  by  me,  the  other  to 
be  retained  by  such  officer  or  officers  as  you  may  designate. 
The  officers  to  give  their  individual  paroles  not  to  take  up 
arms  against  the  Government  of  the  United  States  until 

O 

properly  exchanged;  and  each  company,  or  regimental  com 
mander,  to  sign  a  like  parole  for  the  men  of  their  commands. 
The  arms,  artillery,  and  public  property,  to  be  packed  arid 
turned  over  tq  the  officers  appointed  by  me  to  receive  them. 
This  will  not  embrace  the  side-arms  of  the  officers,  nor  their 
private  horses  or  baggage.  This  done,  each  officer  and 
man  will  be  allowed  to  return  to  his  home,  not  to  be  disturb 
ed  by  the  United  States*  authority,  so  long  as  they  observe 
their  paroles,  and  the  laws  in  force  where  they  may  reside. 
[SIGNED.]  .  "U.  S.  GRANT,  Lieutenant- General." 

To  this,  Lee  wrote:  "The  terms  are  accepted.  I  will 
proceed  to  designate  the  proper  officers  to  carry  the  stipula 
tions  into  effect. 

"R.  E.  LEE,   General" 

It  was  over.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  joy  of  the  troops 
and  chagrin  of  the  rebels.  A  rebel  gives  the  following  ac 
count  of  the  scenes  then  transpiring  in  the  rebel  army : 

"  As  General  Lee  was  seen  riding  to  the  rear,  dressed 
more  gayly  than  usual,  and  begirt  with  his  sword,  the  rumor 
of  immediate  surrender  flew  like  wildfire  through  the  Con 
federates.  It  might  be  imagined  that  an  army,  which  had 
drawn  its  last  regular  rations  on  the  first  of  April,  and  harass 
ed  incessantly  oy  night  and  day,  had  been  marching  and  fight 
ing  until  the  morning  of  the  9th,  would  have  welcomed  any 
thing  like  a  termination  of  its  sufferings,  let  it  come  in  what 
form  it  might.  Let  those  who  idly  imagine  that  the  finer 


296  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

feelings  are  -the  prerogative  of  what  are  called  the  f  upper 
classes/  learn  from  this  and  similar  scenes  to  appreciate 
'  common  men.'  As  the  great  Confederate  captain  rode  back 
from  his  interview  with  General  Grant,  the  news  of  the  sur 
render  acquired  shape  and  consistency,  and  could  no  longer 
be  denied.  The  effect  on  the  worn  and  battered  troops — 
some  of  whom  had  fought  since  April,  1861,  and  (sparse 
survivors  of  hecatombs  of  fallen  comrades)  had  passed  un 
scathed  through  such  hurricanes  of  shot,  as  within  four  years 
no  other  men  had  ever  experienced — passes  mortal  descrip 
tion. 

"Whole  lines  of  battle  rushed  up  to  their  beloved  old 
chief,  and  choking  with  emotion,  broke  ranks  and  struggled 
with  each  other  to  wring  him  once  "more  by  the  hand.  Men 
who  had  fought  throughout  the  war,  and  knew  what  the 
agony  and  humility  of  that  moment  must  be  to  him,  strove, 
with  a  refinement  of  unselfishness  and  tenderness  which  he 
alone  could  fully  appreciate,  to  lighten  his  burden  and  mit 
igate  his  pain.  With  tears  pouring  down  both  cheeks, 
General  Lee  at  length  commanded  voice  enough  to  say, 
'Men,  we  have  fought  through  the  war  together.  I  have 
done  the  best  that  I  could  for  you.'  Not  an  eye  that  looked 
on  that  scene  was  dry.  Nor  was  this  the  emotion  of  sickly 
sentimentalists,  but  of  rough  arid  rugged  men,  familiar  with 
hardships,  danger,  and  death  in  a  thousand  shapes,  mas 
tered  by  sympathy  and  feeling  for  another  which  they  never 
experienced  on  their  own  account.  I  know  of  no  other 
passage  of  military  history  so  touching,  unless,  in  spite  of 
the  melo-drarnatic  coloring  which  French  historians  have 
loved  to  shed  over  the  scene,  it  can  be  found  in  the  Adieu 
de  Fontainebleau. 

"  It  remains  for  me  briefly  to  notice  the  last  parade  of  an 
army,  whereof  the  exploits  will  be  read  with  pride  so  long 
as  the  English  tongue  is  spoken.  In  pursuance  of  an  ar- 


LIFE   OF   GRANT.  297 

rangeinent  of  the  six  commissioners,  the  Confederate  army 
marched  by  divisions,  on  the  morning  of  April  the  12th,  to 
a  spot  at  the  Appomattox  Court-house,  where  they  stacked 
arms  and  deposited  accouterments.  Upon  this  solemn  occa 
sion  Majdr-Ge&eral  Gibbon  represented  the  United  States 
authorities.  With  the  same  exalted  and  conspicuous  delica 
cy  which  he  had  exhibited  throughout  the  closing  scenes, 
General  Grant  was  not  again  visible  after  his  fins^  interview 
with  General  Lee.  About  seven  thousand  eight  hundred  Con 
federates  marched  with  their  muskets  in  their  hands,  and  were 
followed  by  about  eighteen  thousand  unarmed  stragglers, 
who  claimed  to  be  included  in  the  capitulation.  Each  Con 
federate  soldier  was  furnished  with  printed  form  of  parole, 
which  was  filled  up  for  him  by  his  own  officer,  and  a  du 
plicate  handed  to  a  distinguished  Federal  officer.  By  the 
evening  of  the  12th,  the  paroles  were  generally  distributed, 
and  the  disbanded  men  began  to  scatter  throughout  the 
country.  Hardly  one  of  them  had  a  farthing  of  money. 
Some  of  them  had  from  fifteen  hundred  to  two  thousand 
miles  to  travel,  over  a  country  of  which  the  scanty  rail 
roads  were  utterly  annihilated." 

When  the  first  moments  of  their  grief  were  over,  and  the 
rebels  remembered  that  they  would  now  soon  be  enabled  to 
revisit  their  homes  and  friends,  they  rejoicecj  that  the  end 
had  come.  The  main  body  of  Lee's  army  was  drawn  up  in 
a  plain,  surrounded  by  hills  which  were  held  by  our  troops, 
and  from  which  there  was  no  escape.  The  Union  troops 
were  ready  to  open  fire  on  the  rebels,  when  they  were  as 
tounded  by  the  outbursts  of  cheer  upon  cheer  from  the 
exhausted,  bleeding,  despairing  enemy.  They  had  first  re 
ceived  the  tidings  of  the  capitulation,  arid  their  joyful 
shouts  conveyed  the  glad  news  to  our  army.  The  cheer  was 
echoed  back,  and  the  voices  of  friend  and  foe  blended  in  that 
joyful  cry.  The  L^riion  troops,  who  were  pressing  along  in 


298  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

the  rear,  caught  the  shout,  learned  its  significance,  and 
passed  it  along  their  ranks  in  thunder  roar.  For  miles  the 
hills  and  forests  rang  with  the  acclaim  of  that  grand  patriot 
army,  rejoicing  that  the  spirit  of  rebellion  was  now  trampled 
down  forever. 

In  the  battles  around  Petersburg  and  in  the  pursuit,  Lee 
lost  over  ten  thousand  men  killed  and  wounded,  arid  twenty 
thousand  *ien  in  prisoners  and  deserters,  including  those 
taken  in  battle,  and  those  picked  up  in  pursuit ;  embracing 
all  arms  of  the  service — teamsters,  hospital  force,  and  every 
thing — from  sixteen  to  eighteen  thousand  men  were  surren 
dered  by  Lee.  As  only  fifteen  thousand  muskets  and  about 
thirty  pieces  of  artillery  wrere  surrendered,  the  available 
fighting  force  could  hardly  have  exceeded  fifteen  or  twenty 
thousand  men.  Our  total  captures  of  artillery  during  the 
battles  and  pursuit,  and  at  the  surrender,  amounted  to  about 
one  hundred  and  seventy  guns.  Three  or  four  hundred 
wagons  were  handed  over. 

In  the  terms  of  surrender,  the  officers  gave  their  own  pa 
roles,  and  each  officer  gave  his  parole  for  the  men  within  his 
command.  The  following  is  the  form  of  the  personal  parole 
of  officers: 

"  We,  the  undersigned  prisoners  of  war  belonging  to  the 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  having  been  this  day  surrendered 
by  General  R.  E.  Lee,  commanding  said  army,  to  Lieutenant- 
General  U.  S.  Grant,  commanding  the  armies  of  the  United 
States,  do  hereby  give  our  solemn  parole  of  honor  that  we 
will  not  hereafter  serve  in  the  armies  of  the  Confederate 
States,  or  in  any  military  capacity  whatever,  against  the 
United  States  of  America,  or  render  aid  to  the  enemies  of 
the  latter  until  properly  exchanged  in  such  manner  as  shall 
be  mutually  approved  by  the  respective  authorities. 

"R.  E.  Lee,  General. 

"W.  II.  Taylor,  Lieutenant-Colonel  and  A.  A.  G. 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  299 

"Chas.  S.  Venable,  Lieutenant-Colonel  and  A.  A.  G. 
"  Chas.  Marshall,  Lieutenant-Colonel  and  A.  A.  G. 
"II.  E.  Praton,  Lieutenant-Colonel  and  Inspector-General. 
"  Giles  Brooke,  Major  and  A.  A.  Surgeon-General. 


"II.  S.  Young,  A.  A.  General. 


"Done  at  Appomattox  Court-house,  Ya.,  this  ninth  (9th) 
day  of  April,  1865." 
[COUNTERSIGNED.] 

"The  above-named  officers  will  not  be  disturbed  by  United 
States  authorities  as  long  as  they  observe  their  parole,  and 
the  laws  in  force  where  they  reside. 

"GEORGE  H.  SHARPE, 

"  General  Assistant  Provost  Marshal" 

The  paroles  for  the  men  were  in  the  same  form,  except 
commencing  with  the  words  "  I,  the  undersigned  command 
ing  officer  of belonging  to  the  Army  of  Northern  Vir 
ginia,"  etc.  These  were  signed  by  the  officers  commanding 
the  men,  and  countersigned  by  the  provost  marshal  or  his 
assistants. 

As  soon  as  the  terms  of  surrender  were  signed,  General 
Grant  had  designated  the  command  of  Major-General  Gib 
bon,  the  Fifth  Army  Corps  under  Griffin,  and  McKenzie's 
cavalry,  to  remain  at  Appomattox  Court-house  until  the  pa 
roling  of  the  surrendered  army  was  completed,  and  to  take 
charge  of  the  public  property.  The  remainder  of  the  army 
immediately  returned  to  the  vicinity  of  Burkesville. 

On  receipt  of  General  Grant's  letter  of  the  5th  of  April, 
General  Sherman  had  moved  directly  against  General  John 
ston,  who  retreated  rapidly  on  and  through  Raleigh,  which 
place  General  Sherman  occupied  on  the  morning  of  the 
13th.  On  the  day  preceding,  news  of  the  surrender  of 
General  Lee  reached  him  at  Smithfield. 

On  the  14th,  a  correspondence  was  opened  between  Gene 
ral  Sherman  and  General  Johnston,  which  resulted  on  the 


300  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

18th  in  an  agreement  for  the  suspension  of  hostilities,  and  a 
memorandum  or  basis  for  peace,  subject  to  the  approval  of 
the  President.  This  agreement  was  disapproved  by  the 
President  on  the  21st,  which  disapproval,  together  with  the 
instructions  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  were  communicated  by 
General  Grant  in  person  to  General  Sherman,  at  Raleigh, 
North  Carolina,  on  the  morning  of  the  24th.  Notice  was  at 
once  given  by  him  to  General  Johnston  for  the  termination 
of  the  truce  that  had  been  entered  into.  On  the  25th  another 
meeting  between  them  was  agreed  upon,  to  take  place  on  the 
26th,  which  terminated  in  the  surrender  and  disbandonment 
of  Johnston's  army  upon  substantially  the  same  terms  as 
were  given  to  General  Lee. 

An  expedition,  under  General  Geo.  Stoneman,  had  moved 
on  the  20th  of  March,  from  East  Tennessee,  and  going  by 
way  of  Boone,  North  Carolina,  had  struck  the  railroad  at 
Wytheville,  Chambersburg,  and  Big  Lick.  The  force  strik 
ing  it  at  Big  Lick  pushed  on  to  within  a  few  miles  of  Lynch- 
burg,  destroying  the  important  bridges,  while  with  the  main 
force  he  effectually  destroyed  it  between  New  River  and  Big 
Lick,  and  then  turned  for  Greensboro',  on  the  North  Caro 
lina  Railroad ;  struck  that  road  arid  destroyed  the  bridges 
between  Danville  and  Greensboro',  and  between  Greensboro' 
and  the  Yadkin,  together  with  the  depots  and  supplies  along 
it,  and  captured  four  hundred  prisoners.  At  Salisbury  he 
attacked  and  defeated  a  force  of  the  enemy  under  General 
Gardiner,  capturing  fourteen  pieces  of  artillery  and  one 
thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty-four  prisoners,  and  de 
stroyed  large  amounts  of  army  stores.  At  this  place  he 
destroyed  fifteen  miles  of  railroad  and  the  bridges  toward 
Charlotte.  Thence  he  moved  to  Slatersville. 

General  Canby,  who  had  been  directed  in  January  to 
make  preparations  for  a  movement  from  Mobile  Bay  against 
Mobile  and  the  interior  of  Alabama,  commenced  his  move- 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  301 

ment  on  the  20th  of  March.  The  Sixteenth  Corps,  Major- 
General  A.  J.  Smith  commanding,  moved  from  Fort  Gaines 
by  water  to  Fish  River ;  the  Thirteenth  Corps,  under 
Major-General  Gordon  Granger,  moved  from  Fort  Morgan 
and  joined  the  Sixteenth  Corps  on  Fish  River,  both  moving 
thence  on  Spanish  Fort  and  investing  it  on  the  27th ; 
while  Major-General  Steele's  command  moved  from  Pensa- 
cola,  cut  the  railroad  leading  from  Tensas  to  Montgomery, 
effected  a  junction  with  them,  and  partially  invested  Fort 
Blakely.  After  a  severe  bombardment  of  Spanish  Fort,  a 
part  of  its  line  was  carried  on  the  8th  of  April.  During 
the  night  the  enemy  evacuated  the  fort.  Fort  Blakely  was 
carried  by  assault  on  the  9th,  and  many  prisoners  cap 
tured ;  our  loss  was  considerable.  These  successes  practi 
cally  opened  to  us  the  Alabama  River,  and  enabled  us  to 
approach  Mobile  from  the  north.  On  the  night  of  the  llth 
the  city  was  evacuated,  and  was  taken  possession  of  by  our 
forces  on  the  morning  of  the  12th. 

The  expedition  under  the  command  of  Brevet  Major- 
General  Wilson,  consisting  of  twelve  thousand  five  hundred 
mounted  men,  was  delayed  by  rains  until  March  22d,  when 
it  moved  from  Chickasaw,  Alabama.  On  the  1st  of  April, 
General  Wilson  encountered  the  enemy  in  force  under 
Forrest  near  Ebenezer  Church,  drove  him  in  confusion, 
captured  three  hundred  prisoners  and  three  guns,  and  de 
stroyed  the  central  bridge  over  the  Cahawba  River.  On 
the  2d  he  attacked  and  captured  the  fortified  city  of  Selma, 
defended  by  Forrest  with  seven  thousand  men  and  thirty- 
two  guns,  destroyed  the  arsenal,  armory,  naval  foundry, 
machine  shops,  vast  quantities  of  stores,  and  captured  three 
thousand  prisoners.  On  the  4th  he  captured  and  destroyed 
Tuscaloosa.  On  the  10th  he  crossed  the  Alabama  River, 
and  after  sending  information  of  his  operations  to  General 
Canby,  marched  on  Montgomery,  which  place  he  occupied 


302  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

on  the  14th,  the  enemy  having  abandoned  it.  At  this  place 
many  stores  and  five  steamboats  fell  into  our  hands.  Thence 
a  force  marched  direct  on  Columbus,  and  another  on  West 
Point,  both  of  which  places  were  assaulted  and  captured  on 
the  16th.  At  the  former  place  we  got  one  thousand  five 
hundred  prisoners  and  fifty-two  field-guns,  destroyed  two 
gunboats,  the  navy-yard,  foundries,  arsenal,  many  factories, 
and  much  other  public  property.  At  the  latter  place  we 
got  three  hundred  prisoners,  four  guns,  and  destroyed 
nineteen  locomotives  and  three  hundred  cars.  On  the  20th 
he  took  possession  of  Macon,  Georgia,  with  sixty  field-guns, 
one  thousand  two  hundred  militia,  and  five  generals,  sur 
rendered  by  General  Ilowell  Cobb.  General  Wilson,  hear 
ing  that  Jeff.  Davis  was  trying  to-  make  his  escape,  sent 
forces  in  pursuit  and  succeeded  in  capturing  him  on  the 
morning  of  May  llth. 

On  the  4th  day  of  May,  General  Dick  Taylor  surrendered 
to  General  Canby  all  the  remaining  rebel  forces  east  of  the 
Mississippi. 

A  force  sufficient  to  insure  an  easy  triumph  over  the 
enemy  under  Kirby  Smith,  west  of  the  Mississippi,  was 
immediately  put  in  motion  for  Texas,  and  Major-General 
Sheridan  designated  for  its  immediate  command ;  but  on  the 
26th  day  of  May,  and  before  they  reached  their  destination, 
General  Kirby  Smith  surrendered  his  entire  command  to 
Major-General  Canby.  This  surrender  did  not  take  place, 
however,  until  after  the  capture  of  the  rebel  President  and 
Vice-President;  and  the  bad  faith  was  exhibited  of  first 
disbanding  most  of  his  army,  and  permitting  an  indiscrimi 
nate  plunder  of  public  property. 

The  scattered  rebel  bands,  upon  hearing  of  the  surrender 
of  the  great  armies,  surrendered  or  disbanded,  and  went  to 
their  homes.  The  whole  number  of  rebel  soldiers  sur 
rendered  to  the  Union  forces  was  one  hundred  and  seventy- 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  303 

four  thousand  two  hundred  and  twenty-three.  The  number 
of  rebel  prisoners  then  on  hand  was  ninety-eight  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  two.  The  whole  number  of  the  Union 
forces,  May  11,  18G5,  was  one  million  five  hundred  and 
sixteen  men. 

Early  in  May  the  armies  of  Grant  and  Sherman  were 
ordered  to  Washington,  and  on  the  22d  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  led  by  Meade,  and  Sherman's  bronzed  heroes  led 
by  the  old  chief  in  person,  wrere  reviewed  on  Pennsylvania 
Avenue  by  General  Grant,  the  President,  Secretary  of  War, 
and  members  of  the  cabinet.  The  splendid  pageant  arid 
ceremonies  lasted  for  two  days,  and  wrere  witnessed  by 
thousands  of  citizens  from  all  parts  of  the  republic. 

On  the  14th  of  April,  1865,  President  Lincoln  was 
assassinated  at  Ford's  Theater,  in  Washington  city,  by 
Wilkes  Booth,  and  General  Grant  narrowly  escaped  sharing 
his  fate.  In  the  early  part  of  the  evening  it  was  the 
intention  of  the  General  to  accompany  the  President  to  the 
theater,  but  business  calling  him  away,  he  wrcnt  north  that 
night. 

Grant  made  tours  of  pleasure  and  inspection  through  the 
North,  South,  and  Canada,  and  every-wliere  throngs  of 
people  pressed  to  sec  him,  bid  him  welcome,  and  take  by 
the  hand  the  quiet,  unpretending,  and  sturdy  man  who  had 
saved  his  country,  and  won  a  military  fame  second  to  no 
general  in  the  world.  When  he  visited  West  Point  he  was 
received  with  great  honor,  and  the  humble  cadet  of  1844, 
now  generalissimo  of  all  the  armies  of  the  United  States, 
did  honor  to  his  alma  mater. 

Harvard  College,  and  many  other  institutions  and  asso 
ciations  of  learning,  conferred  upon  him  their  most  honor 
able  degrees,  and  made  him  Doctor  of  Laws. 

On  the  7th  of  January,  18G5,  a  number  of  the  principal 
citizens  of  Philadelphia  presented  him  with  a  handsome 


304  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

house,  thoroughly  furnished,  in  Chestnut  Street,  above 
Twentieth.  To  tell  of  his  honors,  and  the  gifts  he  has 
received,  would  fill  a  volume  such  as  this. 

Among  all  the  ovations  given  him,  none  perhaps  was 
more  grateful  to  him  than  that  at  his  old  home,  Galena, 
Illinois,  on  the  28th  of  August,  1865.  There  were  arches 
decorated  with  the  long  scroll  of  his  victories,  enthusiastic 
plaudits  from  his  old  friends  and  fellow-citizens ;  and  over 
the  street  where  he  lived,  and  the  sidewalk  which  he  had 
calumniated,  was  the  motto :  "General,  the  sidewalk  is 
built."  The  fond  thought  which  had  prompted  such  an 
expression  of  his  ambition — to  be  Mayor  of  Galena,  and 
build  the  sidewalk — thus  treasured  by  his  old  friends, 
would  touch  the  heart. of  Grant,  when -"  the  applause  of 
listening  senates"  would  have  little  power  to  move  him. 

The  soldiers  longed  to  revisit  their  homes,  from  which 
some  of  them  had  been  constantly  separated  for  four 
years ;  and  General  Grant,  anxious  to  gratify  a  desire  so 
natural  to  all  men,  caused  them  to  be  mustered  out  of 
service  as  rapidly  as  possible.  On  the  2d  of  June,  1865, 
he  closed  his  official  relations  with  the  great  volunteer 
armies  of  the  Union,  and  issued  to  the  soldiers  he  had 
commanded  so  long  and  well  the  following  address : 

"  SOLDIERS  OF  THE  ARMIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  :  By 
your  patriotic  devotion  to  your  country  in  the  hour  of 
danger  and  alarm,  your  magnificent  fighting,  bravery,  and 
endurance,  you  have  maintained  the  supremacy  of  the  Union 
and  the  Constitution ;  overthrown  all  armed  opposition  to 
the  enforcement  of  the  laws,  and  of  the  proclamations  for 
ever  abolishing  slavery — the  cause  and  pretext  of  the 
rebellion ;  and  opened  the  way  to  the  rightful  authorities  to 
restore  order  and  inaugurate  peace,  on  a  permanent  and 
enduring  basis,  on  every  foot  of  American  soil. 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  805 

"Your  marches,  sieges,  and  battles,  in  distance,  duration, 
resolution,  and  brilliancy  of  results,  dim  the  luster  of  the 
world's  past  military  achievements,  and  will  be  the  patriot's 
precedent  in  defense  of  liberty  and  right  in  all  time  to 
come.  In  obedience  to  your  country's  call,  you  left  your 
homes  and  families,  and  volunteered  in  its  defense.  Vic 
tory  has  crowned  your  valor,  and  secured  the  purpose  of 
your  patriotic  hearts.  And  with  the  gratitude  of  your 
countrymen,  and  the  highest  honors  a  great  and  free  nation 
can  accord,  you  will  soon  be  permitted  to  return  to  your 
homes  and  your  families,  conscious  of  having  discharged 
the  highest  duties  of  American  citizens. 

"To  achieve  these  glorious  triumphs,  and  secure  to  your 
selves,  your  fellow-countrymen,  and  posterity  the  blessings 
of  free  institutions,  tens  of  thousands  of  your  gallant  com 
rades  have  fallen,  and  sealed  the  priceless  legacy  with  their 
lives.  The  graves  of  these  a  grateful  nation  bedews  with 
tears,  honors  their  memories,  and  will  ever  cherish  and 
support  their  stricken  families." 

20 


306  LIFE   OF   GRANT. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

THE  GRADE  OF  GENERAL GRANT  COMMISSIONED  A  GENERAL HIS  PERSONAL 

APPEARANCE,  HABITS,  MANNERS,  CONDUCT,  AND  DRESS GRANT  IN  BATTLE 

HIS  MILITARY  FAME HIS  KINDNESS  OF  HEART DEATH  OF  COLONEL 

O'MEARA — A  PLEASANT  LETTER — THE  OLD  SOLDIER  AND  GRANT — ANEC 
DOTE  OF  STANTON  AND  LINCOLN GRANT*  S  RELIANCE  UPON  DIVINE  PROVI 
DENCE HIS  TREATMENT  OF  SUBORDINATE  OFFICERS WHAT  HE  SAID  OP 

SHERMAN,  THOMAS,  SHERIDAN,  AND  OTHERS ANECDOTE   OF  GRANT HIS 

JUSTICE A  CANDIDATE    FOR    THE    PRESIDENCY. 

.     •'-      --•  '- '  { 

IN  the  summer  of  1866,  the  grade  of  general  was  revived 
in  the  army,  and  on  the  25th  of  July,  1866,  the  President 
commissioned  Grant  to  the  office,  General  Sherman  on  the 
same  day  succeeding  him  as  lieutenant-general.  In  1798, 
Congress  conferred  on  Washington  the  grade  of  lieutenant- 
general,  and  had  he  lived  another  year,  he  would  have  been 
a  full  general.  Upon  the  death  of  Washington  the  grade 
was  discontinued. 

In  the  long  years  from  February,  1849,  to  December, 
1852,  earnest  efforts  were  made  to  confer  the  grade  of  lieu 
tenant-general,  by  brevet,  on  General  Winfield  Scott,  for  his 
long  and  illustrious  services  to  the  country;  but  his  enemies 
were  ingenious  and  malignant,  and  among  them  the  most  per 
tinacious  was  the  then  Honorable  Jefferson  Davis. 

When  General  McClellan  succeeded  to  the  command  of 
the  armies,  General  Scott  was  retired  as  a  lieutenant-gen 
eral;  but  no  officers,  except  Washington  and  Grant,  ever 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  307 

-held  the  full  rank.  Grant  is  the  first  full  General  of  the 
armies,  and  is  now  a  little  over  forty-six  years  of  age. 

General  Grant  is  not  such  a  man  as  an  idealist  would  pic 
ture  for  a  great  hero.  He  is  small  of  stature,  and  neither 
striking  in  appearance,  nor  eloquent  in  speech.  Though 
strong  and  compactly  built,  he  is  what  might  emphatically 
be  termed,  a  "  plain  little  man/'  At  first  sight,  the  beholder 
wonders  how  such  a  man  ever  became  great,  and  at  once  feels 
a  personal  superiority  over  this  dull  little  personage ;  but 
after  being  in  his  society  for  an  hour  or  two,  the  stranger, 
with  all  his  smartness,  finds  out  he  can  make  nothing  out  of 
the  quiet  General,  and  begins  to  suspect  he  is  the  smartest 
of  the  two.  A  close  observer  can  now  and  then  detect  a 
merry  twinkle  in  the  General's  eye,  as  the  pompous  politi 
cian,  with  learned  and  particular  phrase  assumes  to  instruct 
his  dull  auditor,  and  sometimes  a  word  escapes  him  which 
shows  Grant  knows  more  of  the  subject  on  hand  than  he 
chooses  to  let  on.  "  You  must  talk  plainly  with  Grant," 
said  a  distinguished  statesman  to  a  friend,  as  they  were  en 
tering  the  General's  head-quarters,  "for  he  is  about  the 
dullest  fellow  on  politics  I  ever  saw."  When  they  came  out 
the  friend  to  whom  this  caution  had  been  given  said :  "  That 
man,  Grant,  is  as  smart  as  a  whip.  Did  you  not  observe  how 
shrewd  he  was  in  finding  out  our  opinions,  and  yet,  when  we 
came  back  at  him  for  his,  he  talked  round  us,  and  said — just 
nothing ;  and  withal,  was  so  frank  and  polite,  we  had  to  put 
up  with  what  he  did  say?  He  got  our  opinions,  but  I  can't 
say  we  got  his  ;  yet  I  am  sure  he  has  one,  if  he  don't  tell  it." 

The  truth  is,  Grant  is  a  good  listener,  and  always  knows 
just  what  he  is.  going  to  do,  but  he  seldom  tells  of  it  before 
hand.  When  he  doubts,  he  selects  his  adviser,  sends  for  him, 
and  after  laying  the  whole  case  before  him  asks  for  an  opin 
ion,  which,  when  given,  the  General  weighs  carefully,  and 
then  acts.  He  is  strictly  honest,  and  a  strong  believer  in 


308  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

human  instinct.  When  a  man's  heart  is  pure,  and  prompts 
him  to  do  a  thing,  the  General  thinks  he  should  follow  the 
leadings  of  that  better  nature.  Grant's  brow  is  contracted, 
but  the  forehead  is  smooth  and  of  the  ordinary  height ;  his 
teeth  are  small  and  firmly  set  in  a  square  and  compact  jaAV, 
that  says  plainly  enough,  "my  will  must  be  carried  out." 
His  nose  is  aquiline,  but  not  much  of  a  nose  ;  and  his  mouth, 
broad  and  firm,  with  full  red  lips.  The  eyes  are  sad  and 
dreamy  in  their  expression,  blue  in  color,  arid  light  up  when 
he  talks  or  smiles.  When  Grant  laughs,  his  eyes  begin  to 
laugh  first,  and  then  it  spreads  over  his  face,  and  terminates 
in  shaking  his  whole  body,  but  he  never  roars.  The  whole 
of  the  lower  part  of  the  face  is  covered  with  a  closely  cropped 
reddish  beard,  and  on  the  upper  lip  he  wears  a  moustache,  cut 
to  match  the  beard.  His  hair  is  abundant ;  brown,  worn  short, 
and  parted  on  the  left  side.  When  he  was  young,  it  is  said 
he  wore  his  hair  parted  in  the  middle ;  but  this  is  utterly  un 
worthy  of  belief. 

In  his  private  life,  Grant  is  irreproachable.  Humane, 
generous,  and  pure,  whether  we  consider  him  as  a  citizen,  a 
son,  a  husband,  a  father,  he  is  blameless.  Some  years  ago, 
he  occasionally  took  a  glass  of  whisky,  but  after  they  began 
to  censure  him  for  it  in  public  he  quit  entirely,  and  does 
not  at  the  present  time  even  taste  wine. 

In  manners,  he  is  the  gentlest  of  gentlemen,  and  his  mild 
ness  is  proverbial.  No  one  ever  was  rebuifed  or  insulted  by 
General  Grant,  and  his  whole  deportment  invites  confidence. 
The  humblest  drummer  boy  in  the  army  can  approach  him 
and  have  an  interview  if  he  desires  it,  and  even  the  beggars 
on  the  street  feel  that  "the  kind-looking  gentleman"  will 
surely  give  them  something.  "  If  I  can  only  see  General 
Grant  for  a  minute,  I  shall  be  all  right,"  said  a  poor,  sick  sol 
dier  who  wanted  to  go  home;  and  he  was  quite  right,  for 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  309 

•when  he  got  into  the  head-quarters  the  kind-hearted  General 
gave  him  a  furlough. 

In  his  dress,  General  Grant  is  plain  but  neat.  He  is  sel 
dom  seen  in  uniform,  and  when  he  is,  wears  no  gaudy  plumes 
nor  trappings.  In  the  field,  he  was  careless  of  his  personal 
appearance ;  indeed,  his  mind  was  so  much  engaged  he  could 
give  little  thought  to  his  body.  A  person  who  saw  Grant  in 
battle,  thus  writes  about  him  : 

"  Those  who  had  never  seen  General  Grant  would  scarcely 
be  likely  to  have  singled  him  out  from  the  hundred  others  on 
the  ground  around  Chattanooga  as  the  man  whom  the  country 
recognizes  as  having  done  the  most,  and  of  whom  so  much 
is  expected,  to  crush  the  rebellion  by  hard  blows,  and  of  the 
exercise  of  those  qualities  which  enter  into  a  character  of 
true  greatness.  He  was  there  to  be  seen,  enveloped  in  a 
rather  huge  military  coat,  wearing  a  slouched  hat,  which 
seemed  to  have  a  predisposition  to  turn  up  before,  and  down 
behind,  with  a  gait  slightly  limping  from  his  accident  at  New 
Orleans,  giving  his  orders  with  as  few  words  as  possible,  in 
a  low  tone,  and  with  an  accent  which  partook  of  the  slight 
nervousness,  intensity  of  feeling,  yet  perfect  self-command, 
seen  in  all  his  movements.  General  Grant  might  be  describ 
ed  best  as  a  little  old  man — yet  not  really  old — who,  with  a 
keen  eye  did  not  intend  that  any  thing  should  escape  his 
observation.  At  that  battle  he  was  not  in  his  usual  physical 
condition,  his  recent  illness,  added  to  his  arduous  labors, 
having  made  him  lean  in  flesh,  and  given  a  sharpness  to  his 
features  which  he  did  not  formerly  have.  Those  features, 
however,  go  far  to  define  the  man  of  will  and  self-control 
that  he  is.  At  the  critical  moment  of  the  day's  operations, 
the  muscles  appeared  to  gather  tighter  and  harder  over  his 
slightly  projecting  chin,  which  seemed  to  have  an  involuntary 
way  of  working,  and  the  lips  to  contract.  There  is  in  what 


310  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

he  does  or  says  nothing  that  has  the  slightest  approach  to 
ostentation  or  show,  but  the  palpable  evidence  of  a  plain 
man  of  sense,  will,  and  purpose,  who  has  little  idea  that 
more  eyes  are  turned  on  him  than  on  any  other  man  on  the 
continent.  From  his  first  struggle  at  Belmont  to  his  last  at 
Chattanooga.,  the  men  led  by  him  have  fought  more  steadily, 
fiercely,  and  successfully  than  those  of  any  other  portion  of 
our  army.  In  looking  back  over  the  history  of  the  war,  the 
eye  rests  upon  no  more  glorious  pages  than  those  whereon 
are  written  Fort  Donelson,  Vicksburg,  and  Chattanooga." 

The  prestige  of  Grant  is  entirely  impersonal.  Reticent 
and  impassive,  he  has  not  the  temperament  which  inspires 
spontaneous  individual  enthusiasm.  You  see  him,  and  find 
it  difficult  to  associate  his  personality  with  his  deeds,  and 
make  them  one,  but  you  always  feel  you  are  in  the  presence 
of  an  honest,  kind-hearted  man,  and  if  you  want  him  to  do 
you  a  favor,  you  will  not  hesitate  one  moment  to  ask  him. 

Grant  is  an  inveterate  smoker,  and  is  seldom  seen  with 
out  his  cigar.  He  loves  horses  and  always  keeps  two  or 
three  good  ones.  He  is  entirely  without  ostentation  in  his 
house  and  table,  and  is  exceedingly  hospitable.  Every  body 
and  every  thing  about  him  is  for  use,  and  his  servants  and 
attendants  are  never  permitted  to  put  on  airs.  His  duties 
are  all  attended  to  with  the  utmost  regularity,  and  his  sub 
ordinates  are  required  to  be  prompt  and  industrious.  He 
is  scrupulously  polite  in  his  business  intercourse  with  his 
officers,  and  endeavors  to  have  every  one  treated  kindly  who 
comes  to  his  head-quarters. 

There  are  many  instances  of  Grant's  kindness  of  heart, 
but  two  or  three  must  here  suffice  :  When  he  heard  of  the 
death  of  Colonel  O'Meara,  one  of  the  officers  under  his  com 
mand  at  Chattanooga,  he  hastened  to  see  the  daring  and 
brave  man's  remains,  which  were  at  the  landing  in  a  coffin, 
waiting  for  transportation.  The  General  ordered  the  coffin 


LIFE   OF   GRANT.  811 

to  be  opened,  that  he  might  take  "  a  last  look  at  the  gallant 
colonel  of  the  Irish  Legion."  When  the  coffin  was  opened, 
the  General  was  touched  at  the  sight  of  one  whom  he  had 
honored  and  publicly  thanked  before  he  had  been  two 
months  in  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee.  O'Meara's  defense 
of  the  trestlework,  a  few  miles  north  of  Holly  Springs, 
Miss.,  when  Van  Dorn  made  a  raid  there  in  December, 
1862,  and  which  saved  Grant's  army  from  starvation,  was 
never  forgotten  by  the  General.  The  spectators  were  moved 
at  the  touching  farewell  of  the  commander  of  the  Depart 
ment  of  the  Mississippi  from  the  corpse  of  the  young  Irish 
soldier,  who  had  forfeited  his  life  in  the  belief  that  the  high 
est  and  best  duty  of  all  native  or  foreign  born  citizens  was 
to  stand  by  the  flag  which  is  the  hope  of  the  exile,  the  em 
blem  of  philanthropy,  and  the  ensign  of  the  American 
people. 

General  Quimby,  one  of  Grant's  generals,  wrote  him  for 
a  lock  of  his  hair  for  his  wife,  who  was  prominent  in  a  la 
dies'  fair.  Although  in  the  midst  of  his  Chattanooga  cam 
paign,  Grant  found  time  to  write  the  following  kind  letter : 

"  MY  DEAR  MADAM  :  The  letter  of  my  old  friend  and 
former  class-mate,  your  husband,  requesting  a  lock  of  my 
hair,  if  the  article  is  not  growing  scarce  from  age — I  pre 
sume  he  means  it  to  be  put  in  an  ornament,  (by  the  most 
delicate  of  hands,  no  doubt,)  and  sold  at  the  bazaar  for  the 
benefit  of  disabled  soldiers  and  their  families — is  just  received. 

"  I  am  glad  to  say  that  the  stock  is  yet  abundant  as  ever, 
though  time  or  other  cause  is  beginning  tb  intersperse  here 
and  there  a  reminder  that  winters  have  passed. 

"  The  object  for  which  this  little  requisite  is  made  is  so 
praiseworthy  that  I  can  not  refuse  it,  even  though  I  do,  by 
granting  it,  expose  the  fact  to  the  ladies  of  Rochester,  that 
I  am  no  longer  a  boy.  Hoping  that  the  citizens  of  your 


312  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

city  may  spend  a  happy  week,  commencing  to-morrow,  and 
that  this  fair  may  remunerate  most  abundantly, 

"I  remain,  truly  your  friend, 

"  U.  S.  GRANT." 

A  political  committee  at  Philadelphia  called  at  the  arsenal 
to  inquire  how  certain  workmen  were  going  to  vote.  One 
man,  an  old  soldier,  named  Owens,  told  the  committee  it  was 
none  of  their  business  how  he  would  vote,  and  was  so  saucy 
that  on  the  recommendation  of  the  committee  he  was  forth 
with  discharged.  "  I  will  go  and  see  General  Grant  about 
this,"  said  the  old  man.  "Do,"  replied  the  chairman,  "and 
be  sure  and  let  the  committee  know  what  he  says." 

Filled  with  wrath,  the  old  soldier  trudged  off,  amid  the 
laughter  of  the  by-standers,  and  went  directly  to  the  city, 
where  General  Grant  was  temporarily  residing.  Going  up 
to  the  door-bell  he  boldly  rang  it,  and  a  moment  afterward 
stepped  into  the  hall,  where  he  met  a  servant  coming  to  an 
swer  the  bell.  Seeing  a  coarse  and  rusty  looking  old  man, 
the  servant  said  sharply,  "What  do  you  want,  sir?" 

"  I  want  to  see  General  Grant  and  have  an  interview,'' 
replied  the  old  man. 

"  The  General  is  busy  just  now  and  can't  see  you,  but  I'll 
take  your  card  up." 

Just  then  a  little  girl  appeared  on  the  stairs,  and  the  old 
soldier,  turning  from  the  servant,  said  to  her,  "  Sissy,  run 
up  stairs  and  tell  your  Pap  an  old  Fourth  Infantry  man  is 
down  here  and  wants  to  see  him."  The  child  bounded 
away,  and  a  moment  afterward  the  little  voice  was  heard  at 
the  head  of  the  stairs  shouting  down,  "  Papa  says  come  up, 
old  soldier  man." 

The  old  man  went  up,  and  conducted  by  the  child,  entered 
a  room  where  the  General  was  seated,  with  his  cigar,  at  a 
desk,  writing.  Shaking  the  General  by  the  hand  he  said, 
"You  don't  remember  me,  General,  do  you?" 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  313 

"No,"  said  Grant,  looking  at  him,  "I  see  so  many  people 
nowadays  you  know,  I  can't  remember  them  all." 

"Well,  I'm  Lem  Owens,  one  of  your  old  soldiers;  you 
commanded  me  when  you  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  old  regi 
ment.  I'm  in  trouble,  General,  and  I  come  down  here  to  get 
you  to  help  me  out,  if  you  will.  I  have  a  large  family,  and 
they  have  discharged  me  from  the  arsenal,  'cause  why  them 
politiciner  fellows  wanted  to  know,  and  I  wouldn't  tell 
them,  how  I  was  going  to  vote." 

Grant  turned  to  his  desk  and  wrote : 

"To The  bearer  of  this,  Lem  Owens,  an  old  soldier 

of  mine,  who  has  a  large  family  to  support,  tells  me  he  has 
been  discharged.  I  particularly  desire  that  he  shall  be  re- 
employed.  U.  S.  GRANT,  General." 

Reading  it  to  the  soldier,  he  said,  "  I  guess  that  will  fix 
you  all  right."  "Let  me  have  that  ere  dociment,"  said  the 
old  soldier.  "Lord,  Gineral,  how  them  political  chaps'  eyes 
will  bulge  out  when  they  see  it,  for  they  all  thought  so  great 
a  man  as  you  would  not  bother  with  the  troubles  of  a  poor 
old  soldier,  but  I  knew  better,  Gineral,  and  I  told  them  so, 
when  they  laughed  at  me." 

Armed  with  his  paper,  the  old  soldier  went  back  to  the 
arsenal  and  was  immediately  reemployed. 

Lincoln  loved  Grant,  and  took  every  opportunity  to  honor 
and  reward  him  for  his  great  services.  These  truly  great 
men  had  none  of  that  petty  jealousy  in  their  natures  which 
so  often  manifests  itself  in  the  public  men  of  our  day.  Often 
Lincoln  and  Grant  wrote  each  other  privately,  and  each  en 
tered  largely  into  the  thoughts  of  the  other. 

At  a  celebration,  on  the  22d  of  February,  before  the  sur 
render  of  Yicksburg,  while  all  around  were  drinking  toasts 
in  sparkling  champagne,  General  Grant,  pushing  aside  a 
glass  of  wine,  and  taking  up  a  glass  of  Mississippi  water, 


314  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

remarked:  "This  suits  the  matter  in  hand,"  drink  to  the 
toast,  "  God  gave  us  Lincoln  and  Liberty ;  let  us  fight  for 
both." 

One  day  when  Grant  was  before  Petersburg  with  his 
army,  Secretary  Stanton,  who  felt  uneasy  about  the  safety 
of  Washington,  went  to  the  President,  and  said :  "  Had  we 
riot  better  order  Grant  to  send  more  troops  to  cover  Wash 
ington?"  "Look  here,  Stanton,"  replied  Lincoln,  in  his 
simple  way;  "you  and  I  have  been  issuing  orders  to  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  for  about  four  years,  and  I  do  n't  see 
as  we  have  accomplished  much  by  it;  now,  suppose  we  let 
Grant  alone  and  see  how  he  will  make  out  with  the 
matter." 

And  Grant  was  left  alone,  for  be  it  said  to  the  credit  of 
Mr.  Lincoln's  good  sense  and  judgment,  he  would  never  in 
terfere  with  Grant's  plans,  or  allow  any  one  else  to  do  so. 

In  many  of  his  orders  and  dispatches,  Grant  devoutly  re 
cognized  the  providence  of  God,  and  his  reliance  upon  it,  as 
being  the  chief  strength  of  nations  and  men;  and  if  he  ever 
swears,  the  religious  world  may  be  certified  that  his  oaths 
are  in  the  same  category  with  those  of  my  Uncle  Toby  and 
of  Washington  at  Monmouth.  He  is  phlegmatic,  but  not 
insensible ;  cool,  but  not  without  enthusiasm ;  habitually 
grave,  with  a  simple  dignity,  but  easily  approachable  by  all, 
even  to  the  poorest  private ;  in  speech,  laconic,  but  un 
affected;  no  official  non-committal  about  him;  clear-headed, 
forgetting  nothing,  arranging  details  easily  in  his  capacious 
brain,  without  much  reliance  upon  red  tape ;  blushing  when 
praised,  and  bearing  both  praise  and  blame  with  silent  mag 
nanimity.  Above  all,  he  combines  what  Guizot  has  called 
the  "genius  of  common  sense"  with  a  determination  to  "go 
ahead." 

His  justice  to  his  subordinate  officers  has  always  been  a 
matter  of  comment  in  Grant's  military  career,  even  of  those 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  815 

who  divided  with  him  the  national  esteem.  He  never  seemed 
in  the  least  jealous,  but  rejoiced  as  heartily  as  any  one  over 
their  success.  Thus  he  was  the  first  to  congratulate  Sheri 
dan  on  his  brilliant  victories  in  the  Valley;  and  not  only 
thanked,  but  praised  Thomas  for  defeating  Hood  at  Nash 
ville.  So,  too,  when  Sherman  fell  under  the  national  dis 
pleasure  for  his  treaty  with  Johnston,  Grant  kindly  took 
him  by  the  hand,  corrected  his  mistake,  and  presented  his 
great  fellow-soldier  to  the  nation  as  worthy  of  their  greatest 
confidence.  Of  Sherman,  Grant  wrote  to  the  President: 

"To  General  Sherman  I  was  greatly  indebted  for  his 
promptness  in  forwarding  to  me,  during  the  siege  of  Fort 
Donelson,  reenforcements  and  supplies  from  Paducah.  At 
the  battle  of  Shiloh,  on  the  first  day,  he  held  with  raw 
troops  the  key-point  to  the  landing.  To  his  individual 
efforts  I  am  indebted  for  the  success  of  that  battle.  Twice 
hit,  and  several  (I  think  three)  horses  shot  under  him  on  that 
day,  he  maintained  his  position  with  raw  troops.  It  is  no 
disparagement  to  any  other  officer  to  say  that  I  do  not  be 
lieve  there  was  another  division  commander  on  the  field  who 
had  the  skill  and  experience  to  have  done  it.  His  services 
as  division  commander  in  the  advance  on  Corinth,  I  will 
venture  to  say,  were  appreciated  by  the  new  General-in- 
Chief  beyond  those  of  any  other  division  commander. 

"  General  Sherman's  arrangement  as  commander  of  troops 
in  the  attack  on  Chickasaw  Bluffs,  last  December,  was  ad 
mirable.  Seeing  the  ground  from  the  opposite  side  from  the 
attack,  I  saw  the  impossibility  of  making  it  successful.  The 
conception  of  the  attack  on  Arkansas  Post  was  General  Slier- 
man's.  His  part  of  the  execution,  no  one  denies,  was  as 
good  as  it  possibly  could  have  been.  His  demonstration  at 
llaines'  Bluff,  in  April,  to  hold  the  enemy  about  Vicksburg, 
while  the  army  was  securing  a  foothold  cast  of  the  Missis 
sippi ;  his  rapid  marches  to  join  the  army  afterward;  his 


316  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

\ 

management  at  Jackson,  Mississippi,  in  the  first  attack; 
his  almost  unequaled  march  from  Jackson  to  Bridgeport, 
and  passage  of  Black  River;  his  securing  Walnut  Hills  on 
the  18th  of  May,  and  thus  opening  communications  with  our 
supplies,  all  attest  his  great  merit  as  a  soldier.  The  siege  of 
Vicksburg  and  last  capture  of  Jackson  and  dispersion  of 
Johnston's  army,  entitle  General  Sherman  to  more  credit 
than  usually  falls  to  the  lot  of  one  man  to  earn.  The  pro 
motion  of  such  men  as  Sherman  always  adds  strength  to  our 
arms." 

Grant  wrote  equally  strong  recommendations  of  McPher- 
son,  Sheridan,  and  other  officers ;  always  securing  them  pro 
motions  whenever  he  could,  and  doing  all  in  his  power  to 
have  full  justice  done  to  every  officer  according  to  his  mer 
its  and  the' services  he  rendered  the  nation. 

Such  is  the  great  American  soldier  and  patriot ;  such — 
Ulysses  Grant,  who  now  offers  himself  to  the  people,  and 
asks  their  suffrages  for  the  highest  and  most  honorable  office 
in  their  gift.  Who  more  worthy?  Who  so  deserving?  What 
citizen  can  refuse  him  ? 


LIFE   OF   GRANT.  817 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

SOLDIERS'  AND  SAILORS'  NATIONAL  CONVENTION  AT  CHICAGO — THE  PROCES 
SION — THE   EAGLE  "  OLD   ABE" THE    HALL THE   SCENES CONVENTION 

CALLED    TO    ORDER — GOVERNOR    FAIRCHILD     TEMPORARY    CHAIRMAN HIS 

SPEECH THE    COMMITTEES — GOVERNOR    HAWLEY*S  SPEECH REMARKS  OP 

GENERALS  SICKLES,  IIALSTEAD,  AND  OTHERS — PERMANENT  ORGANIZATION 
GENERAL  LOGAN'S  REMARKS GRANT'S  FATHER HIS  SPEECH AD 
DRESSES  BY  GENERAL  COCHRANE,  MAJOR  IIAGGERTY,  AND  o' CONNER 

COLONEL  STOKES,  OF  TENNESSEE THE  RESOLUTIONS — GRANT  UNANI 
MOUSLY  NOMINATED  BY  HIS  COMRADES  FOR  PRESIDENT GREAT  ENTHU 
SIASM THE  LARGEST  DELEGATED  CONVENTION  EVER  ASSEMBLED AD 
JOURNMENT  OF  THE  CONVENTION. 

Ox  the  19th  of  May,  1868,  a  convention,  composed  of 
General  Grant's  comrades  from  all  parts  of  the  Union,  as 
sembled  at  Chicago,  for  the  purpose  of  nominating  him  for 
the  high  office  of  President.  They  marched  through  the 
streets,  headed  by  brass  bands  and  carrying  the  famous  war 
eagle  "  Old  Abe,"  a  bird  that  had  been  carried  through  the 
war  by  a  Wisconsin  regiment.  Many  of  the  delegations 
were  led  by  the  Governors  of  their  States,  and  scores  of  the 
most  distinguished  generals  in  the  late  war  marched  in  the 
procession.  Over  one  thousand  delegates,  representing  all 
the  States  and  Territories  in  the  Union,  sat  down  in  the  im 
mense  Turners'  Hall,  which  was  beautifully  decorated  with 
flags  and  mottoes.  As  the  well-known  generals  of  the  war 
stepped  upon  the  platform,  and  the  soldiers'  recognized  their 
old  leaders,  cheer  after  cheer  broke  forth,  and  a  scene  of 
the  wildest  enthusiasm  ensued,  such  as  had  never  before 
been  witnessed  in  this  country.  There  were  hand-shakings 


318  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

and  meetings  after  years  of  separation,  such  as  can  only 
take  place  between  men  who  have  shared  together  the  dan 
gers  of  the  battle-field. 

At  noon,  Major  William  S.  Morse,  Chairman  of  the  Sol 
diers'  and  Sailors'  National  Executive  Committee,  called 
the  Convention  to  order,  and  the  Ilev.  John  Fellows,  of 
Wisconsin,  offered  up  an  eloquent  and  fervent  prayer.  Gov 
ernor  Fairchild,  of  Wisconsin,  a  one-armed  soldier,  was 
chosen  temporary  chairman,  and  on  taking  the  chair  said : 

"  GENTLEMEN  OF  THE  CONVENTION:  In  behalf  of  the  State 
of  Wisconsin,  whose  soldiers  you  have  honored  to-day  iu 
the  selection  of  myself  as  temporary  chairman,  I  thank  you. 
I  shall  receive  it  as  an  honor  to  the  State  and  to  the  soldiers 
of  Wisconsin.  I  do  not  take  it  as  personal.  I  am  very 
glad,  indeed,  my  friends,  to  meet  so  many  of  the  old  soldiers 
of  the  Union  army.  I  was  glad  last  night,  at  a  little  meet 
ing  of  a  few  delegates  to  know  why  we  came  here.  I  un 
derstand  we  came  here  representing  nearly  a  million  of  loyal 
hearts.  We  came  here  to  muster  in  for  three  years  or  the  war; 
we  came  to  swear  by  the  love  we  bore  those  men  that  we  will 
never — we  can  swear  by  the  good  old  flag  we  fought  for 
— we  came  here  to  SAvear  by  the  widows  and  orphans  of  our 
comrades — that  we  will  never  give  up  the  fight  until  this 
country  is  reconstructed  upon  the  basis  of  equal  and  exact 
justice  to  all  men.  Do  you  swear  it  for  your  com 
rades?  No  man  in  this  land,  my  friends — no  one  could 
have  fought  better  than  our  soldiers  did.  And,  as  we  say 
upon  our  great  Wisconsin  banner,  thus  it  will  again  be  with 
them  in  every  State  of  the  Union.  The  Union  soldiers  will 
fight  as  they  fought  when  the  Union  men  of  the  South  de 
manded  a  certain  plan  of  reconstruction  with  a  plainly  writ 
ten  constitution,  and  the  rebels  South  demanded  another 
plan  of  reconstruction.  I  say  the  Union  soldiers  North — 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  819 

all  good  friends  of  the  Union — the  soldiers  of  the  North 
will  give  to  the  Union  men  of  each  State  that  plan  of  recon 
struction  which  they  asked,  until,  in  every  section  of  the 
South,  in  every  school  district  —  I  hope  they  will  have 
school  districts  in  the  South — a  Union  man  can  stand  up 
before  God  and  declare  his  life  for  the  Union,  the  flag,  and 
the  country.  The  fight  will  continue,  and  we  will  be  at  the 
front." 

Lieutenant  Thomas  C.  Donelson,  of  Ohio;  Major  A.  C. 
Tatcs,  of  New  York ;  Capt.  H.  H.  Thomas,  of  Tennessee ; 
W.  A.  Short,  D.  C.;  Major  0.  M.  Wilson,  of  Indiana,  and 
Lieutenant  Samuel  Reeves,  of  New  Jersey  were  chosen 
temporary  Secretaries  of  the  Convention. 

A  committee,  consisting  of  Dr.  J.  Y.  Cantwell,  of  Ala 
bama;  J.  W.  Fuller,  of  Arkansas;  Captain  J.  T.  Litbald,  of 
California ;  Captain  W.  H.  Tubbs,  of  Connecticut :  General 
Loveland,  of  Delaware;  General  Ranboum,  of  Florida; 
General  Watson,  of  Georgia;  General  J.  L.  Beveridge,  of 
Illinois ;  General  Kimball,  of  Indiana ;  E.  W.  Rice,  of 
Iowa ;  J.  P.  Blunt,  of  Kansas ;  R.  B.  Harris,  of  Kentucky ; 
E.  P.  Dowe,  of  Maine;  Major  Ben  Perley  Poore,  of  Massa 
chusetts;  C.  G.  Lowdney,  of  Minnesota;  Colonel  M.  L. 
Demott,  of  Missouri;  Colonel  Geo.  F.  Burnham,  of  Mary 
land  ;  General  Henry  Baxter,  of  Michigan ;  Colonel  J.  M. 
Clarrington,  of  Nebraska;  Captain  R.  H.  Lee,  of  New 
Jersey ;  Captain  G.  F.  Lee,  of  North  Carolina ;  Major  E. 
W.  Farr,  of  New  Hampshire ;  General  Pleasanton  and  Gen 
eral  Samuel  A.  Yoman,  of  Ohio;  J.  II.  Stewart,  of  Penn 
sylvania;  B.  F.  Whittemore,  of  South  Carolina;  General  W. 
W.  J.  Smith,  and  Colonel  J.  H.  Lockwood,  of  Virginia ; 
Lieutenant-Colonel  W.  W.  Grant,  of  Vermont,  and  General 
J.  S.  Allen,  of  Wisconsin,  was  appointed  on  permanent 
organization. 

A  Committee  on  Resolutions  was  appointed,  as  follows: 


320  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

Colonel  R.  M.  Reynolds,  of  Alabama;  Colonel  J.  E.  Cowen, 
of  California:  Colonel  A.  H.  Grimshaw,  of  Delaware ;  Gen 
eral  Jolm  A.  Logan,  of  Illinois ;  General  W.  M.  Stone,  of 
Iowa;  Colonel  B.  II.  Bristow,  of  Kentucky;  General 
George  F.  Shepley,  of  Maine;  Colonel  Edwin  F.  Stone, 
of  Massachusetts ;  Colonel  Aiken,  of  Minnesota ;  Colonel 
W.  Grosvens,  of  Mississippi;  General  Titus,  of  New  Hamp 
shire;  General  Dennis  T.  Burke,  of  New  York;  General 
F.  Sawyer,  of  Ohio ;  General  Charles  H.  Hopkins,  of  Rhode 
Island;  Lieutenant-Colonel  Robert  K.  Smith,  of  Texas;  W. 
S.  McCullough,  of  Arkansas ;  Colonel  J.  II.  Lockwood,  of 
West  Virginia;  General  Charles  Crow,  of  Indiana;  General 
E.  M.  Lee,  of  Connecticut;  B.  R.  Anthony,  of  Kansas; 
Captain  E.  Pinchbloss,  of  Louisiana;  General  R.  H.  Rich 
ardson,  of  Maryland;  General  W.  Stoughton,  of  Michigan; 
H.  T.  Fisher,  of  Mississippi;  Captain  B.  Hall,  of  Nebraska;* 
W.  S.  Davenport,  of  New  Jersey,  and  J.  C.  Mann,  of  North 
Carolina. 

While  the  committees  were  out,  General  Hawley,  of  Con 
necticut  was  loudly  called  for,  arid,  in  response,  delivered  an 
eloquent  speech.  Among  other  things  he  said : 

"  General  Grant  was  undoubtedly  the  people's  choice,  and 
next  November  will  see  him  elected  President  of  the  United 
States.  So  far  as  the  Southern  people  are  concerned,  he 
would  say  that  whenever  they  manifest  a  desire  to  return 
to  the  good  old  Union,  and  act  like  good  citizens,  he  was 
in  favor  of  throwing  around  them  the  protection  of  the  Gov 
ernment.  It  made  no  difference  whether  that  citizen  was 
white  or  black,  he  was  a  citizen  still.  He  believed  that,  if 
necessary,  two  million  'Boys  in  Blue'  would  corne  again  and 
protect  him  in  his  rights." 

General  Halsted,  of  New  Jersey;  Major  O'Connor,  of 
New  York,  and  the  hero,  General  Daniel  E.  Sickles,  of  New 
York,  next  made  stirring  speeches,  saying  the  Convention 


LIFE    OF    GllANT. 


had  assembled  to  choose  a  successor  to  the  lamented 
Lincoln,  favoring  the  nomination  of  General  Grant,  and 
counseling  the  soldiers  throughout  the  land  to  stand  firmly 
by  their  chieftain  in  the  coming  political  campaign  as  they 
stood  by  him  during  the  war. 

The  Committee  on  Permanent  Organization,  reported : 
For  President,  General  John  A.  Logan,  of  Illinois. 


Vice-Presidents. 

Alabama Col.  R.  T.  Smith. 

Arkansas Gen.  IT.  B.  Morse. 

California Gen.  P.  S.  Conner. 

Connecticut Col.  Charles  Warren. 

Delaware A .  F.  A .  Torbett. 


Secretaries. 
Capt.  B.  F.  Williams. 
Col.  S.  H.  Root. 
Col.  Jaines  Gary. 
Lieut.  J.  M.  Knowlsen 
Col.  W.  Lamott. 


Florida.., 


.Capt.Rowlan  Rombanes.  Lieut.  T.  B.  Carroll. 


Georgia Capt.  W.  II.  Watson. 

Illinois Gen.  Julius  White. 

Indiana Gen.  R.  S.  Foster. 

Iowa Gen.  C.  L.  Mathias. 

Kansas Capt.  W.  G.  Karirncr. 

Kentucky Gen.  John  P.  Croxton. 

Louisiana Gen.  W.  L.  McMillan. 

Maine Gen.  G.  L.  Beall. 

Maryland Gen.  A.  W.  Dennison. 


Capt.  E.  B.  McTimony. 
Gen.  E.  S.  Solomon. 
Major  O.  Wilson. 
Capt.  C.  F.  Gardner. 
Col.  G.  W.  Veal. 
Capt.  Jas.  M.  Fidler. 
CaptP.B.S.Pliinchback. 
Geo.  H.  M.  Plaister. 
Capt.  H.  Parison. 


Massachusetts Gen.  J.  S.  Cunningham. Col  R.  G  Asher. 


Michigan Gen.  0.  L  Spalding. 

Minnesota Gen.  C.  C.  AndreAvs. 

Missouri Gen.  II.  W.  Barry. 

Missouri Gen.  John  McNeill. 

Nebraska. Col.  A.  J.  Harding. 

New  Hampshire Capt.  J.  B.  Clark. 

New  Jersey Col.  W.  Wrard. 

New  York Gen.  C.  K.  Graham. 

North  Carolina Gen.  S.  G.  Eslis. 

Ohio Gen.  Oliver  Wood. 


Capt.  E  Weeks. 
Col.  J.  G.Gee. 
Col.  A  Warner. 
Gen.  Draper. 
Major  John  Gillespie. 
Chaplain  Lovering. 
Lieut.  L.  C.  Reeves. 
Major  A.  C.  Tate. 
Major  S.  C.  Mann. 
Gen.  J.  M.  Marsh. 
Col.  II.  C.  Alleman. 
Capt.  G.  B.  Beck. 


Pennsylvania Gen.  II.  L.  Cape. 

Rhode  Island Gen.  C.  II.  Tompkins. 

South  Carolina Chap.  B.  F.  Whitfcemore.Sergt.  IT.  E.  Hayne. 

Tennessee Gen.  John  B.  Rodgers.    Capt.  H.  E.  Hudson. 

Texas Major  A .  IT.  Longl ey 

21 


Capt. 

Dr.  R,  K.  Smith. 


322  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

Vice-Presidents.  Secretaries. 

Vermont Gen.  Stephen  Thomas.  Private  Henry  Congl on. 

Virginia Gen.  II.  A.  Pierce.  Capt.  George  Tucker. 

West  Virginia Col.  P.  II.  Lockwood.  Capt.  W.  J.  Purely. 

Wisconsin Gen.  C.  S.  Hamilton.  Capt.  Henry  Harshan. 

Dist.  of  Columbia Gen.  N.  P.  Ghipiiian,  Private  Win.  A.  Short 


Governor  Fairchild  having  announced  that  the  father  of 
General  Grant  was  in  the  house,  loud  calls  were  made  for 
him,  and,  amid  great  cheering  he  was  led  forward.  The 
convention  received  him  standing,  and  called  for  a  speech. 
He  is  a  very  old  man,  and,  on  that  occasion,  carried  a  blue 
cotton  umbrella  under  his  arm,  which,  as  the  day  was  bright 
and  clear,  amused  the  boys  very  much.  Adjusting  his 
spectacles  and  depositing  his  umbrella  with  the  President 
for  safe  keeping,  the  venerable  man  said  with  deep  emotion: 
"Soldiers  !  I  thank  you  for  asking  me  to  speak  to  you. 
Oh!  it  fills  my  heart  with  gratitude  when  I  think  that  one 
of  my  children  led  this  great  band  of  brave  men  through 
a  successful  war  for  the  Union.  I  was  too  old  to  do  much 
in  the  war,  and  I  do  n'"t  know  why  I  should  be  called  upon 
to  speak  to  so  many  distinguished  and  brave  men."  Here 
a  soldier  rose  up  in  the  convention  and  said :  "  Never  mind, 
father  Grant,  you  gave  us  a  boy  to  lead  us — that  was 
enough."  The  house  shook  with  applause,  and  Mr.  Grant 
continued  for  some  time  speaking  in  an  eloquent  and  ap 
propriate  manner. 

General  Logan,  on  being  conducted  to  the  chair,  made  an 
able  speech,  thanking  the  soldiers  for  the  honor  conferred 
upon  him,  but  said  he  could  not  take  the  chair  from  one  so 
eminently  worthy  to  preside  as  Governor  Fairchild.  He 
then  retired  amid  a  storm  of  applause,  and  the  one-armed 
governor  resumed  his  duties  as  President  of  the  Convention. 
He  was  deeply  affected  by  the  delicate  mark  of  respect  paid 


LIFE   OF   GRANT.  323 

him,  and  again  thanked  the  gallant  general  and  the  soldiers 
for  the  honor  of  presiding  over  their  deliberations. 

General  Cochrane  and  Major  Haggerty  next  made  amus 
ing  and  interesting  speeches,  and  were  followed  by  Colonel 
Stokes,  of  Tennessee. 

General  Logan,  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Resolu 
tions,  reported  as  follows  : 

"Resolved,  That  the  soldiers  and  sailors,  steadfast  now  as 
ever  to  the  Union  and  the  flag,  fully  recognize  the  claims 
of  General  Ulysses  Grant  to  the  confidence  of  the  American 
people ;  and  believing  that  the  victories  achieved  under  his 
guidance  in  war,  will  be  now  illustrated  by  him  in  times  of 
peace  by  such  measures  as  shall  secure  the  fruits  of  our 
exertions,  and  the  restoration  of  the  Union  upon  a  loyal 
basis,  we  declare  it  as  our  deliberate  conviction,  that  he  is 
the  choice  of  the  soldiers  and  sailors  of  the  Union  for  the 
office  of  President  of  the  United  States. 

"Resolved,  That  in  the  maintenance  of  those  principles 
which  underlie  our  Government,  and  for  which  we  fought 
during  four  years  of  war,  we  pledge  our  earnest  and  active 
support  to  the  Republican  party,  as  the  only  political 
organization  which,  in  our  judgment,  is  true  to  the  princi 
ples  of  loyalty,  liberty,  and  equality  before  the  law. 

"Resolved,  That,  speaking  for  ourselves  and  the  soldiers 
and  sailors  who  imperiled  their  lives  to  preserve  the  Union, 
we  believe  that  the  impeachment  of  Andrew  Johnson  by  the 
House  of  Representatives,  for  high  crimes  and  misdemeanors 
in  office,  and  his  trial  before  the  United  States  Senate,  have 
presented  unmistakable  proofs  of  his  guilt,  and  that  what 
ever  may  be  the  judgment  of  the  tribunal  before  which  he 
is  arraigned,  the  verdict  of  the  people  is  '•guilty?  and  we 
regard  any  Senator  who  has  voted  for  acquittal  as  falling 
short  of  the  proper  discharge  of  his  duty  in  this  hour  of  the 


3i!4  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

nation's  trial,  and  as  unworthy  of  the  confidence  of  a  brave 
and  loyal  people. 

"Resolved,  That  the  soldiers  and  sailors  recognize  no 
difference  between  native  and  adopted  citizens,  and  they 
demand  that  the  Government  protect  the  naturalized  citizen 
abroad  as  well  as  those  of  native  birth." 

On  motion  of  General  W.  M.  Gregg,  of  New  York,  the 
resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted,  amid  cheers  for 
Grant. 

The  following  additional  resolutions  were  unanimously 
passed. 

On  motion  of  Colonel  Alleman,  of  Pennsylvania,  it  was 

".Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  nine  be  appointed  to 
wait  upon  General  U.  S.  Grant,  arid  present  him  a  copy 
of  the  resolutions  of  the  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  National 
Convention." 

The  chairman  announced  the  committee  of  nine,  pro 
vided  for  in  Colonel  Alleman's  resolution,  as  follows :  Col 
onel  II.  C.  Alleman,  General  W.  M.  Gregg,  General  D.  E. 
Sickles,  General  John  A.  Logan,  General  A.  Pleasanton, 
General  J.  T.  Hartcauft,  Colonel  W.  B.  Stokes,  Captain  A. 
Grant,  and  Governor  James  W.  Hawley. 

On  motion  of  W.  S.  Andrews,  it  was — 

"Resolved,  That  we,  the  soldiers  of  the  republic,  extend 
to  the  loyal  men  of  the  South  our  sympathy,  and  the 
promise  of  our  support  in  the  struggles  yet  in  store  for 
them  under  the  present  administration,  before  they  can 
enjoy  the  liberties  of  American  citizens,  without  fear  of 
prosecution  and  assassination,  and  that,  if  necessary,  we 


LIFJ-:  or  (iiiANT. 

stand  ready  to  aid  them  with  our  strength  in  the  future  as 
we  have  in  the  past." 

On  motio-n  of  Colonel  Hempstead,  the  following  preamble 
and  resolutions  were  adopted  : 

"  WHEREAS,  Alany  of  the  late  defenders  of  the  Union 
being  now  out  of  employment,  and  they  and  their  families 
suffering  privation  by  reason  of  sacrifices  during  the  war ; 
therefore, 

"Resolved,  By  us,  the  soldiers  and  sailors  of  the  republic 
in  the  late  war,  in  national  convention  assembled  on  the 
19th  day  of  May,  1868,  that  we  hold  it  to  be  the  duty  of  the 
-administrators  of  the  national  and  state  governments  to 
carry  into  practical  effect  a  substantial  gratitude  to  the 
defenders  of  the  nation,  in  bestowing  upon  those  of  our 
comrades  who  are  needy,  employment  in  the  offices  of 
manual  and  clerical  labor. 

Resolved,  That  the  Chairman  of  the  Convention  send  a 
copy  of  these  resolutions  to  the  Chairman  of  the  National 
Republican  Convention." 

On  motion  of  General  Daniel  E.  Sickles,  of  New  York, 
the  Convention  adjourned,  subject  to  the  call  of  the  Presi 
dent,  and  thus  ended  the  first  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Political 
National  Convention,  it  having  been  the  largest  delegate 
body  ever  assembled  in  the  United  States. 


326  LIFE    OF   GRANT, 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

NATIONAL    REPUBLICAN    CONVENTION  AT  CHICAGO GENERAL  SCHURTZ  MADE 

TEMPORARY  CHAIRMAN HIS  SPEECH PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  CONVENTION 

— THE  COMMITTEES — PERMANENT    ORGANIZATION SPEECH   OF  GOVERNOR 

HAWLEY — SOLDIERS  RECEIVED ELOQUENT  SPEECH  BY  GOVERNOR  FAIR- 
CHILD — SECOND  DAY'S  PROCEEDINGS — THE  PLATFORM — ADDITIONAL  RES 
OLUTIONS — LOGAN'S  SPEECH — GENERAL  GRANT  UNANIMOUSLY  NOMI 

NATED — THE  VOTE  BY  STATES — THE  ANNOUNCEMENT WILD  SCENES  IN 

THE  CONVENTION — THE  EFFECT  OF  THE  NOMINATION  UPON  THE  PEOPLE 

NOMINATION  OF  A  VICE-PRESIDENT. 

IN  obedience  to  the  call  of  the  National  Republican 
Committee,  a  convention  assembled  at  Chicago,  on  the  20th 
day  of  May,  1868,  to  nominate  for  the  Republican  party 
candidates  for  the  Presidency  and  Vice-Presidency  of  the 
United  States. 

The  body  was  called  to  order  at  twelve  o'clock  by  Gov 
ernor  Ward,  of  New  Jersey,  and  Bishop  Simpson  offered  up 
an  earnest  prayer.  By  direction  of  the  National  Committee, 
Governor  Ward  nominated  General  Carl  Schurtz  for  tem 
porary  chairman,  and  that  gentleman,  having  been  unani 
mously  elected,  was  conducted  to  the  platform  by  Lyman 
Tremaine,  of  New  York,  and  Richard  W.  Thompson,  of 
Indiana.  On  taking  the  chair,  General  Schurtz  made  an 
eloquent  speech,  and  closed  by  declaring: 

"  The  Republican  party  will  not  be  ended  until  the  great 
truth  proclaimed  in  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  in  the 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  327 

fullest  meaning  of  the  term,  shall  have  become  a  living 
reality.  [Applause.]  Yes,  let  us  be  true  to  our  history,  be 
true  to  ourselves,  and  fear  nothing.  No  step  backward — 
'Onward!'  is  the  watchword.  Let  us  see  again  the  banner 
of  progress,  of  liberty,  of  equal  rights,  of  national  faith 
nailed  to  the  very  top  of  the  mast,  and  I  say  to  you  I 
spurn  the  idea  that  the  American  people  could  ever  so  far 
forget  themselves  as  to  throw  their  destinies  into  the  hands 
of  men  who,  but  yesterday,  sought  to  destroy  the  republic, 
and  who,  to-day,  stand* ready  to  dishonor  it."  [Loud  and 
continued  applause.] 

After  settling  the  cases  of  contested  seats,  and  deciding 
to  admit  the  delegates  from  the  Territories  and  Southern 
States,  the  Convention  proceeded  to  appoint  the  following 
important  committees: 

Committee  on  Organization. — California,  W.  E.  Lovett ; 
Colorado,  John  Evans;  Connecticut,  A.  II.  Byington;  Dela 
ware,  Wilson  L.  Sumner;  Florida,  B.  C.  Chamberlain; 
Georgia,  W.  II.  Watson;  Illinois,  Amos.  C.  Babcock ; 
Indiana,  George  A.  Buskirk ;  Iowa,  Seth  II.  Crane;  Kansas, 
John  A.  Bartlett ;  Kentucky,  Oscar  II.  Burbridge  ;  Louisi 
ana,  George  C.  Penance  ;  Maine,  Walz  Hubbard  ;  Massachu 
setts,  Alfred  R.  Field ;  Michigan,  Hampton  Briggs ;  Minne 
sota,  P.  C.  Ambcrly;  Nebraska,  E.  C.  Stevens;  Nevada, 
II.  II.  Beck ;  New  Hampshire,  John  II.  Bailey  ;  New  Jersey, 
Thomas  H.  Bartlett;  New  York,  Hamilton  Harris;  North 
Carolina,  Win.  R.  Myers;  Ohio,  Israel  Green;  Pennsyl 
vania,  James  Orne  ;  Rhode  Island,  Lysander  Flagg ;  South 
Carolina,  B.  F.  Whittemore ;  Tennessee,  L.  C.  Blank ; 
Texas,  A.'  II.  Longley  ;  Vermont,  William  II.  Grout;  Vir 
ginia,  F.  A.  Kimble;  West  Virginia  (name  not  understood). 

E.  Scott  Sloan,  of  Maryland,  declined  to  name  a  commit 
tee-man  until  her  contested  State  should  be  settled. 


LIFE    OF    GRANT. 


Committee  on  Resolutions. — Alabama,  David  C.  Upton; 
Arkansas,  W.  D.  Morse;  Connecticut,  J.  N.  Woodman; 
Delaware,  D.  S.  Taylor;  Illinois,  Herman  Paston ;  Indiana, 
Richard  W.  Thompson;  Iowa,  George  W.  Dodge;  Kansas, 

B.  F.  Simpson;  Kentucky,  Charles  Eggleston ;  Louisiana, 
L.  W.  Eugene ;  Massachusetts,  Francis  W.  Bird ;  Maryland, 
John  L.  Holmes,  Jr.;  Michigan,  R.  R.  Beecher  ;  Minnesota, 
R.  McClarin;  Mississippi,  R.   L.  Van  Horn;  Nebraska,  R. 
W.    Turner;    Nevada,    C.    E.    Dedong ;    New   Hampshire, 
James  T.  Briggs;  New  Jersey,  John  Davidson;  New  York, 
Charles  Andrews;  North  Carolina,  L.  D.  Hess;  Ohio,  John 

C.  Lee;  Oregon,  H.  R.  Kinkaid;  Pennsylvania,  S.  E.  Dim- 
mick;  Rhode  Island,  R.  G.  Hazard;  South  Carolina,  S.  0. 
Duncan;    Texas,    George    W.    Pascall ;    Vermont,    W.    II. 
Jbhnson;    Virginia,   Lysander  Hill;    West  Virginia,  R.    S. 
Brown;  Wisconsin,  H.  Ruble. 

Committee  on  Business. — Alabama,  George  M.  Reynolds  : 
s  Arkansas,  II.  Gardsell;  California,  R.  P.  Chapin;  Connec 
ticut,  D.  L.   Sayler;  Delaware,  J.  J.  Jenkins;  Florida,  B. 
P.     Chamberlain ;     Georgia,    David     G.     Coffing ;     Illinois, 
Emory  A.  Stout;  Indiana,  G.  K.  Steele:  Iowa,  K.  M.  Holt; 

Kansas,  W.  B.  ;  Kentucky,  T.  J.  Pickett;  Louisiana, 

A.  J.  Sypher;  Maine,  W.  E.  Harriman;  Massachusetts,  T. 
Howe;  Michigan,  W.  B.  Williams;  .Minnesota,  A.  H.  But 
ler;  Mississippi,  D.  M.  Williams;  Missouri,  J.  0.  Bullins; 
Nevada,  O.  R.  Leonard;  New  Hampshire,  Edwin  Fair; 
New  Jersey,  Chas.  Hildreth;  New  York,  G.  Barker;  North 
Carolina,  F.  F.  French;  Ohio,  Thos.  L.  Young;  Pennsyl 
vania,  Thos.  E.  Corcoran ;  Rhode  Island,  W.  H.  Reynolds ; 
South  Carolina,  J.  C.  Ebbingham;  Tennessee,  Blank  Lewis; 
Texas,  J.  P.  Keating;  Vermont,  G.  C.  Shepard;  Virginia, 
John  Oxford;  West  Virginia,  II.  C.  Me  Ward;  Wisconsin, 
A.  J.  Turner. 

The  Convention  then  adjourned  until  five  o'clock,  when  it 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  329 

re-assembled  and  proceeded  to  business.  The  Committee  on 
Organization  reported  the  name  of.  General  James  R.  Haw- 
ley,  of  Connecticut,  for  permanent  chairman,  and  he  was 
unanimously  elected.  The  new  president,  amid  great  cheer 
ing,  was  conducted  to  the  chair  by  Ex-Governor  Solomon, 
of  Wisconsin,  and  Ex-Governor  Brown,  of  Georgia.  On 
taking  his  seat,  Governor  Hawley  made  an  eloquent  speech, 
and  closed  by  saying : 

"  Every  bond,  in  letter  and  spirit,  must  be  as  sacred  as  a 
soldier's  grave.  We  must  win,  and  we  shall  win.  It  is  the 
old  fight  of  liberty,  equality,  and  fraternity,  against  oppres 
sion,  caste,  and  aristocracy.  It  is  the  old  fight  to  make 
the  world  better,  '  with  malice  toward  none,  and  with  char 
ity  for  all.'  We  may  halt  for  a  moment  or  change  direc 
tion,  but  the  good  cause  always  goes  steadily  forward.  It 
is  related,  and  whether  true  or  not,  the  incident  is  well 
invented,  that  on  the  evening  of  that  awful  battle  of  the 
Wilderness,  when  the  legions  of  the  Union  army  had  fought 
all  day  by  faith  rather  than  by  sight  in  the  tangled  brush, 
that  some  man  asked  General  Grant  to  step  back  and 
organize,  and  he  replied,  'We  have  done  very  well,  gentle 
men.  At  half-past  three  in  the  morning  we  move  forward.' 
We  accept  his  spirit  and  his  words,  and  perhaps  I  am  not 
anticipating  in  saying  we  shall  accept  him  in  person  as  our 
leader.  Thanking  you  again,  heartily,  for  the  honor  con 
ferred,  I  await  the  further  pleasure  of  the  Convention." 

The  Convention  completed  its  organization  by  appointing 
the  following  Vice-Presidents  and  Secretaries  : 

Vice-Presidents — Alabama,  General  Warner;  Arkansas, 
A.  McDonald;  California,  James  Cory;  Colorado,  J.  B. 
Chaffee;  Connecticut,  W.  S.  Pearson;  Delaware,  L.  Thomp 
son;  Florida,  II.  II.  Moody;  Georgia,  Foster  Blodgett; 
Illinois,  Jesse  K.  Dubuois ;  Indiana,  W.  Q.  Gresham  ;  Iowa, 


330  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

I 

J.  M.  Hedrick;  Kansas,  S.  Proutty ;  Kentucky,  Joshua  J. 
Speed;  Louisiana,  W.  P.  Kellogg;  Maine,  A.  D.  Fessen- 
den;  Maryland,  II.  Stockbridge ;  Massachusetts,  *D.  W. 
Gooch;  Michigan,  II.  Waldron  ;  Minnesota,  H.  P.  Van 
Cleve;  Mississippi,  Thomas  L.  White,  Missouri,  A.  J.  Har- 
lan;  Nebraska,  A.  Landers,  and  J.  M.  Walker;  New  Hamp 
shire,  E.  Gould;  New  Jersey,  John  S.  Irick;  New  York, 
Chauncey  N.  Deprew ;  North  Carolina,  A.  Dockery ;  Ohio, 
N.  C.  McFarland;  Oregon,  J.  Failing;  Pennsylvania,  J.  K. 
Moorehcad;  Rhode  Island,  G.  Green;  South  Carolina,  C.  J. 
Stodbrand;  Tennessee,  T.  A.  Hamilton;  Texas,  S.  D.  Wood; 
Vermont,  George  N.  Standard;  Virginia,  John  Burch;  West 
Virginia,  S.  D.  Cares;  Wisconsin,  Edward  Solomon. 

Secretaries— Thomas  D.  Foster,  V.  Del,  C.  B.  Higby,  F. 
B.  Solomon,  Joshua  T.  Heald,  J.  Rombeaur,  G.  W.  Wilbur, 
John  P.  Rust,  J.  H.  Easton,  Lewis  Weil,  William  Goodloe, 
Colonel  C.  W.  Lowell,  Stephen  D.  Lindsay,  E.  S.  Waters, 
W.  W.  Scott,  A.  Worley  Patterson,  J.  C.  S.  Colby,  Samuel 
Maxwell,  G.  N.  Collins,  F.  Ayer,  R.  C.  Bellville,  L.  Cald- 
well,  J.  W.  Holden,  C.  Kinney,  Max  Ramsey,  A.  C.  Har- 
mer,  M.  R.  Parther,  M.  Kinley,  William  Home,  Colonel  R. 
D.  Ringer,  Joshua  T.  Hoke,  Charles  Seymour,  John  H. 
Longnecker. 

A  committee  from  the  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Convention 
was  announced  by  the  chair,  and  conducted  to  the  platform 
by  General  Cochrane,  of  New  York,  General  Schurtz,  of 
Missouri,  Colonel  Craig,  of  Iowa,  Mr.  Cripple,  of  West 
Virginia,  and  Mr.  Sweet,,  of  Illinois. 

•  :  '&',- 

SPEECH    OF    GENERAL    COCHRANE. 

Mr.  President :  I  have  the  honor  in  behalf  of  the  com 
mittee  recently  appointed  by  yourself  to  announce  that 
they  have  discharged  the  duty  to  which  they  were  ap 
pointed,  and  I  introduce  to  the  Convention,  through  your- 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  331 

self,    Governor  Fairchild,   chairman    of   the    committee    to 
•which  I  referred. 

SPEECH    OF   GOVERNOR   FAIRCHILD. 

Governor  Fairchild — Mr.  President  and  gentlemen  of  the 
Convention:  As  instructed  by  the  members  of  the  Soldiers' 
and  Sailors'  Convention,  I  appear  before  you  in  their  be 
half  to  present  to  you  a  resolution  passed  unanimously  by 
them  yesterday  P.  M.,  as  follows : 

Resolved,  That  we,  the  soldiers  and  sailors,  steadfast  now 
as  ever  to  the  Union  and  flag,  fully  recognize  the  claims  of 
General  U.  S.  Grant  to  the  confidence  of  the  American  peo 
ple,  and  believing  that  victories  won  under  his  guidance  in 
war  will  be  illustrated  by  him  in  peace  by  such  measures  as 
will  secure  the  fruits  of  our  exertions,  and  restore  the 
Union  on  a  loyal  basis,  we  declare  our  deliberate  convic 
tion  that  he  is  the  choice  of  the  soldiers  and  sailors  of  the 
Union,  for  the  office  of  President  of  the  United  States. 

Gentlemen :  The  soldiers  of  the  United  States  ask  the 
nomination  of  General  Grant  for  President  because  they  love 
him,  and  they  love  him  because  he  is  loyal  to  the  Union, 
loyal  to  justice,  loyal  to  freedom,  and  loyal  to  right;  and  if 
you  will  give  them  their  comrade  as  a  leader  in  the  cam 
paign  of  1868,  they  will  bear  upon  the  enemy's  works  as 
they  did  in  the  field  in  1864. 

REPLY    OF    GENERAL    HAWLEY. 

President  Hawley — It  is  hardly  necessary  that  I  should 
say  such  a  communication  is  received  with  the  warmest 
interest  from  Republican  soldiers  and  by  a  Republican  Con 
vention. 

The  committee  then  withdrew,  and  after  speeches  by 
Governor  Brown,  of  Georgia,  and  others,  the  Convention 
adjourned  until  the  next  day. 


332  LIFE 'OF    GRANT. 

SECOND  DAY'S  PROCEEDINGS. 

On  Thursday  morning,  May  21st,  the  Convention  reas 
sembled  at  ten  o'clock.  An  immense  throng  was  present, 
including  hundreds  of  ladies.  The  six  hundred  delegates, 

O  O  ' 

representing  every  State  arid  Territory  in  the  Union,  occu 
pied  the  lower  floor  and  part  of  the  dress  circle.  The  gal 
leries  were  packed  with  people  from  all  parts  of  the  Union, 
and  although  it  was  a  bright  day,  the  gas  was  lighted  up 
and  greatly  added  to  the  brilliancy  of  the  scene.  The  Pres 
ident,  Vice-President,  Secretaries  and  distinguished  men,  to 
the  number  of  five  hundred,  occupied  the  stage,  arid  a  full 
band  discoursed  delicious  music  from  the  orchestra  in  front 
of  the  foot-lights. 

After  prayer  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  John  P.  Gulliver,  of  Chicago, 
the  Convention  proceeded  to  business.  A  debate  sprung 
up  on  entering  upon  the  records  of  the  Convention  the  res 
olutions  of  the  Union  League,  when,  on  motion  of  Judge 
Jones,  of  Ohio,  the  whole  matter  was  laid  on  the  table. 

By  invitation  of  the  Convention  the  distinguished  German 
orator,  Fred.  Hassaurek,  of  Cincinnati,  addressed  the  im 
mense  assemblage,  and  was  followed  in  an  eloquent  speech 
by  General  John  M.  Palmer,  of  Illinois.  Generals  Logan, 
Schurtz,  Cochrane  and  Colonel  Forney,  were  loudly  called 
for,  but  declined  to  speak. 

The  Committee  on  Resolutions  being  announced,  reported 
through  their  Chairman,  Col.  R.  W.  Thompson,  of  Indiana, 
the  following  as  a  platform  for  the  Republican  party : 

The  National  Republican  Party  of  the  United  States,  assembled  in  Na 
tional  Convention,  in  the  City  of  Chicago,  on  the  2l$t  day  of  May,  1868, 
make  the  following  Declaration  of  Principles : 

1.  We  congratulate  the  country  on  the  assured  success 
of  the  reconstruction  policy  of  Congress,  as  evinced  by  the 
adoption,  in  the  majority  of  the  States  lately  in  rebellion, 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  333 

of  constitutions  securing  equal  civil  and  political  rights  to 
all,  and  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Government  to  sustain  those 
institutions,  and  to  prevent  the  people  of  such  States  from 
being  remitted  to  a  state  of  anarchy. 

2.  The  guarantee   by  Congress  of  equal  suffrage  to  all 
loyal  men  at  the  South  was  demanded  by  every  considera 
tion  of  public  safety,  of  -gratitude,  and  of  justice,  and  must 
be   maintained ;    while    the   question  of  suffrage  in  all  the 
loyal  States  properly  belongs  to  the  people  of  those  States. 

3.  We  denounce  all  forms  of  repudiation  as  a  national 
crime  ;  and  the  national  honor  requires  the  payment  of  the 
public  indebtedness  in  the  uttermost  good,  faith  to  all  cred 
itors  at  home  and  abroad,  not  only  according  to  the  letter 
but  the  spirit  of  the  laws  under  which  it  was  contracted. 

4.  It  is   due   to   the  labor    of  the    nation    that    taxation 
should  be  equalized,  and  reduced  as  rapidly  as  the  national 
faith  will  permit. 

5.  The  national  debt,  contracted  as  it  has  been  for  the 
preservation  of  the  Union  for  all  time  to  come,  should  be  ex 
tended  over  a  fair  period  for  redemption  ;  and  it  is  the  duty 
of  Congress  to  reduce  the  rate  of  interest  thereon,  whenever 
it  can  be  honestly  done. 

6.  That  the  best  policy  to  diminish  our  burden  of  debt  is 
to  so  improve  our  credit  that  capitalists  will  seek  to  loan  us 
money  at  lower  rates  of  interest  than  we  now  pay,  and  must 
continue  to  pay  so  long  as  repudiation,  partial  or  total,  open 
or  covert,  is  threatened  or  suspected. 

7.  The  Government  of  the  United  States  should  be  ad 
ministered  with  the  strictest  economy,  and  the  corruptions 
which  have  been  shamefully  nursed  and  fostered  by  Andrew 
Johnson,  call  loudly  for  radical  reform. 

8.  We  profoundly  deplore  the  untimely  and  tragic  death 
of  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  the  accession  to  the  Presidency  of 
Andrew  Johnson,  who  has  acted  treacherously  to  the  people 


334  LIFE    OF    GUA.NT. 

who  elected  him  and  the  cause  he  was  pledged  to  support; 
who  has  usurped  the  legislative  and  judicial  functions;  who 
has  refused  to  execute  the  laws;  who  has  used  his  high  of 
fice  to  induce  other  officers  to  oppose  and  violate  the  laws; 
who  has  employed  his  executive  powers  to  render  insecure 
the  property,  the  peace,  liberty,  and  life  of  the  people;  who 
has  abused  the  pardoning  power,  and  has  denounced  the 
national  legislature  as  unconstitutional;  who  has  persistent 
ly  and  corruptly  resisted,  by  every  means  in  his  power, 
every  proper  attempt  at  the  recnostruction  of  the  States 
lately  in  rebellion ;  who  has  perverted  the  public  patronage 
into  an  engine  of  wholesale  corruption;  and  who  has  been 
justly  impeached  for  high  crimes  and  misdemeanors,  and 
properly  pronounced  guilty  thereof  by  the  vote  of  thirty- 
five  Senators. 

9.  The    doctrine   of  Great  Britain   and  other  European 
powers,  that  because  a  man  is  once  a  subject  he  is  always 
so,  must  be  resisted  at  every  hazard  by  the  United  States, 
as  a  relic  of  feudal  times,  not  authorized  by  the  laws  of  na 
tions,  and  at  war  with  our  national  honor  and  independence. 
Naturalized   citizens   are   entitled   to  protection  in  all  their 
rights  of  citizenship,  as  though  they  were  native-born,  and 
no  citizen  of  the  United  States,  native  or  naturalized,  must 
be  liable  to  arrest  and  imprisonment  by  any  foreign  power 
for  acts  done  or  words  spoken  in  this  country,  and,  if  so  ar 
rested  and  imprisoned,  it  is  the  duty  of  the  government  to 
interfere  in  his  behalf. 

10.  Of  all  who  were  faithful  in  the  trials  of  the  late  war, 
there  were  none   entitled  to  more  especial  honor  than  the 
brave  soldiers  arid  seamen  who  endured  the  hardships   of 
campaign  and  cruise,  and  imperiled  their  lives  in  the  service 
of  their  country ;  the  bounties  and  pensions  provided  by  the 
laws  for  these  brave  defenders  of  the  nation,  are  obligations 
never  to  be  forgotten ;  the  widows  and  orphans  of  the  gal- 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  335 

lant   dead   are   the   wards  of  the   people — a  sacred  legacy 
bequeathed  to  the  nation's  protecting  care. 

11.  Foreign  emigration,  which  in    the   past  has  added  so 
much  to  the  wealth,  development,  and  resources,  and  increase 
of  power  to  this  republic,  tHI  asylum  of  the  oppressed  of 
all  nations,  should  be  fostered  and  encouraged  by  a  liberal 
and  just  policy. 

12.  This  Convention  declares  itself  in  sympathy  with  all 
oppressed  people  struggling  for  their  rights. 

Unanimously  added,  on  motion  of  General  Schurtz : 

Resolved,  That  we  highly  commend  the  spirit  of  magna 
nimity  and  forbearance  with  which  men  who  have  served  in 
the  rebellion,  but  who  now  frankly  and  honestly  cooperate 
with  us  in  restoring  the  peace  of  the  country  and  recon 
structing  the  Southern  State  governments  upon  the  basis 
of  impartial  justice  and  equal  rights,  are  received  back 
into  the  communion  of  the  loyal  people;  and  we  favor  the 
removal  of  the  disqualifications  and  restrictions  imposed  up 
on  the  late  rebels  in  the  same  measure  as  their  spirit  of 
loyalty  will  direct,  -and  as  may  be  consistent  with  the  safety 
of  the  loyal  people. 

Resolved,  That  we  recognize  the  great  principles  laid 
down  in  the  immortal  Declaration  of  Independence  as  the 
true  foundation  of  democratic  government,  and  we  hail  with 
gladness  every  effort  toward  making  these  principles  a  liv 
ing  reality  on  every  inch  of  American  soil. 

The  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted,  amid  great 
cheering,  swinging  of  hats  and  waving  of  handkerchiefs. 
The  following  resolution  was  adopted,  on  motion  of  Colonel 
Thompson : 

Resolved,  That  the  adjournment  of  this  Convention  shall 
not  work  a  dissolution  of  the  same,  but  it  shall  remain  as 
organized,  subject  to  be  called  together  again  at  any  time 


386  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

and  place  that  the  National  Republican  Executive  Committee 
shall  designate. 

GENERAL  GRANT  NOMINATED. 

Mr.  French,  of  North  Carolina.  I  move,  sir,  that  we  now 
proceed  to  ballot  for  a  candidate' for  President.  [Great  ap 
plause  and  cries  of  "Vote."] 

General  Logan,  of  Illinois.  I  rise  to  propound  a  ques 
tion  to  the  Chair.  According  to  the  order  of  business,  it  is 
not  necessary  for  a  vote  in  reference  to  the  nomination  of 
a  candidate  for  President.  Is  it  not  the  question  to  be  an 
nounced  by  the  Chair,  under  the  rules,  is  the  nomination  of 
a  President  now  in  order? 

The  President.  The  order  of  business  does  not  prescribe 
any  specific  time  when  it  shall  go  into  order  of  business. 
It  may  delay  it  until  after  the  nomination  of  Vice-President 
if  it  chooses. 

General  Logan.  Is  it  the  decision  of  the  Chair  that  nom 
inations  are  now  in  order? 

The  President.     Yes. 

Cries  of  "  bully,"  etc. 

General  Logan.  Mr.  President :  Then,  sir,  in  the  name 
of  the^loyal  citizens,  soldiers,  and  sailors  of  this  great  Re 
public  of  the  United  States  of  America;  in  the  name  of  loy 
alty,  of  liberty,  of  humanity,  and  of  justice  ;  in  the  name  of 
the  National  Union  Republican  party,  I  nominate,  as  the 
candidate  for  the  Chief  Magistracy  of  this  nation,  Ulysses 
S.  Grant.  [Here  there  was  a  storm  of  applause.  The  mass 
of  the  people  rose  to  their  feet,  and  in  all  the  hall  there  was 
the  waving  of  hats  and  handkerchiefs.  A  lady  in  the  gal 
lery  of  the  house,  at  this  point  of  time,  let  loose  a  tri- 
colored  pigeon,  which  flew  through  the  room  to  the  stage. 
Three  lusty  cheers  were  given,  upon  motion  of  a  delegate, 
for  General  Grantrand  the  band  played  "Hail  to  the  Chief."] 

Mr.  Bright,  of  South  Carolina.     I  move,  sir,  that  the  vote 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  337 

x 

be  taken  by  acclamation.  [Cries  of  "No,  it  can't  be  done," 
etc.] 

The  President.  The  rules  provide  the  manner  of  tak 
ing  the  vote.  Give  your  attention  to  the  call  of  the  States, 
and  as  the  call  be  made,  let  each  delegation  announce  the 
choice  of  the  State  for  the  office  of  President. 

The  Secretary  then  called  the  roll. 

THE  VOTING. 

The  following  remarks  were  made  by  the  several  chair 
men  of  delegates  when  delivering  the  votes  of  the  States  : 

Alabama — Through  our  delegation  we  cast  eighteen  votes 
for  General  Ulysses  S.  Grant. 

Arkansas — The  State  of  Arkansas  casts  ten  votes  for 
U.  S.  Grant. 

California — Mr.  President :  We  come,  ten  of  us,  some  six 
thousand  miles  to  cast  her  vote  for  General  U.  S.  Grant. 
[Applause.] 

Colorado — Mr.  President :  The  delegates  from  Colorado 
say,  U.  S.  -Grant,  six  votes. 

Connecticut — Mr.  Chairman :  Connecticut  unconditionally 
surrenders  her  twelve  votes  for  U.  S.  Grant.  [Applause.] 

Dakotah — U.  S.  Grant,  two  votes. 

Delaware — The  State  of  Delaware  gives  six  votes  for 
U.  S.  Grant. 

District  of  Columbia — The  District  of  Columbia  casts  her 
two  votes  for  U.  S.  Grant. 

Florida — Florida,  the  land  of  flowers,  gives  six  votes  for 
Ulysses  S.  Grant. 

Georgia  (ex-Governor  Brown) — Mr.  President,  the  Re 
publicans  of  Georgia,  many  of  whom  were  original  seces 
sionists,  recognizing  the  wisdom  of  the  maxim,  "Enemies  in 
war,  in  peace  friends,"  and  ardently  desiring  the  speedy 

restoration  of  union,  harmony,  peace,  and  good  government, 

09 


388  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

instruct  me  through  their  representatives  now  here,  to  cast 
eighteen  votes  for  General  Ulysses  S.  Grant. 

Idaho — The  Territory  of  Idaho  casts  two  votes  for  U.  S. 
Grant. 

Illinois — (General  Logan) — Mr.  President,  Illinois  casts 
thirty-two  votes  for  U.  S.  Grant. 

Indiana — (Mr.  Lane) — Indiana  casts  twenty-six  votes  for 
U.  S.  Grant. 

Iowa — Mr.  President,  Iowa  casts  sixteen  votes  for  Gen 
eral  U.  S.  Grant,  and  promises  to  back  it  up  with  forty 
thousand  majority. 

Kansas — Mr.  President,  Kansas,  the  John  Brown  State, 
gives  six  votes  for  U.  S.  Grant. 

Kentucky — Mr.  President,  the  State  of  Kentucky  has 
directed  my  delegation  to  cast  the  vote  of  Kentucky,  twenty- 
two  votes,  for  Ulysses  S.  Grant. 

Louisiana — (General  A.  L.  Lee) — Mr.  President,  the 
State  of  Louisiana  casts  fourteen  votes  for  General  U.  S. 
Grant,  and  we  propose  "  to  fight  it  out  on  this  line  if  it 
takes  all  summer."  ,  .. 

Maine — Maine  gives  fourteen  votes  for  General  U.  S. 
Grant. 

Maryland — Mr.  Chairman,  believing  that  our  great  Cap 
tain  will  crush  treason  in  the  Cabinet  as  he  has  crushed  it 
in  the  field,  Maryland,  "  My  Maryland,"  gives  fourteen 
votes  for  U.  S.  Grant. 

Massachusetts — Mr.  President,  the  State  of  Massa 
chusetts  casts  twenty-four  votes  for  U.  S.  Grant. 

Michigan — Mr.  President,  the  State  of  Michigan,  follow 
ing  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  gives  sixteen  votes  for  U. 
S.  Grant. 

Minnesota — Mr.  President,  the  North  Star  State  gives  all 
she  has,  eight  votes,  for  U.  S.  Grant. 

Mississippi — Mr.  President,  the  State  of  Mississippi,  the 


LIFE  OF   GRANT.  339 

home  of  Jefferson  Davis,  repudiates  that  traitor,  and  offers 
you  fourteen  votes  for  General  U.  S.  Grant, 

Missouri—  (Hon.  C.  Schurtz) — The  State  Convention  of 
Missouri  instructed  the  delegation  to  vote  for  the  nomina 
tion  of  U.  S.  Grant  on  a  radical  platform,  and  with  full 
confidence  that  General  Grant  will  carry  it  out,  Missouri 
gives  Grant  twenty-two  votes. 

Montana — The  Missouri  and  Columbia  Rivers  are  vocal 
with  the  name  of  Grant,  and  Montana  gives  him  two  votes. 
[Applause.] 

Nebraska — Mr.  Chairman,  Nebraska,  the  last  State  ad 
mitted  into  the  Union,  and  the  first  State  to  adopt  impartial 
suffrage,  gives  six  votes  to  U.  S.  Grant. 

Nevada — Mr.  President,  the  Silver  State  has  but  six 
votes  to  give,  but  it  proposes  soon  to  have  six  more  to  give. 
It  gives  all  it  has  for  Grant. 

New  Hampshire — New  Hampshire  gives  ten  votes  for 
U.  S.  Grant. 

New  Jersey — The  delegates  from  New  Jersey,  instructed 
by  her  convention,  and,  as  they  believe,  expressing  the  voice 
of  the  Republican  party  within  her  borders,  now  deliver 
their  fourteen  votes  for  U.  S.  Grant,  the  most  glorious  of 
soldiers,  the  man  noted  for  calmness,  a  man  of  justice  and 
patriotism. 

New  York — The  State  of  New  York  casts  sixty-six  votes 
for  Ulysses  S.  Grant. 

North  Carolina — Mr.  President,  North  Carolina  commonly 
known  as  the  land  of  the  tar-heavers,  gives  eighteen  votes 
for  U.  S.  Grant,  and  will  give  twice  eighteen,  thirty-six 
thousand  votes — all  of  which  we  think  will  stick.  [Loud 
laughter  and  cheers.] 

Ohio — Mr.  President,  Ohio  has  the  honor  of  being  the 
mother  of  our  great  Captain.  Ohio  is  in  line,  and  on  that 
line  Ohio  proposes  following  this  great  Captain,  that  never 


840  LIFE    OF    GUAM1. 

knew  defeat,  to  fight  it  out  through  the  summer,  and  in 
the  autumn,  at  the  great  end  of  the  contest,  and  to  be  first 
in  storming  the  intrenchments  until  victory  shall  be  secured 
and  all  the  stars  that  glitter  in  the  firmament  of  our  glori 
ous  constellation  shall  again  be  restored  into  their  proper 
order,  and  all  the  sons  of  freedom  throughout  the  whole 
earth  shall  shout  for  joy.  [Good!  Good!]  Ohio  gives 
forty-two  votes  for  U.  S.  Grant. 

Oregon — Mr.  President,  the  State  of  Oregon — the  most 
North-west  State  of  this  Union — the  people  of  the  State 
have  directed  their  delegates  here  to  cast  six  votes  for  U. 
S.  Grant. 

Pennsylvania — Mr.  Chairman,  Pennsylvania  casts  fifty- 
two  votes  for  General  U.  S.  Grant. 

Rhode  Island — Mr.  President,  bright-eyed  "  Little  Rhody," 
your  only  sister,  small  in  stature,  and  patriotic  and  noble, 
gives  her  eight  votes  for  General  U.  S.  Grant,  and  wishes 
she  had  more. 

South  Carolina — Mr.  President,  the  State  of  South  Caro 
lina,  the  birth-place  and  the  home  of  John  C.  Calhoun  and 
the  doctrine  of  State  Rights,  first  to  withdraw  herself  from 
the  Union,  directs  me,  through  her  representatives,  sent 
here  by  a  Republican  majority  of  43,470  [Applause],  re 
turning  again  to  the  councils  of  those  who  desire  only  to 
preserve  the  Union,  arm  in  arm,  and  heart  to  heart  with 
Massachusetts  [Cheers  and  cries  of  "  good ! "]  gives  her 
twelve  votes  to  General  U.  S.  Grant. 

Tennessee — Mr.  President,  Tennessee,  being  one  of  the 
Southern  States  that  was  thrust  into  the  rebellion,  and  being 
the  first  to  reconstruct  and- be  readmitted  to  the  Union,  and 
to-day  being  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  liberal  republican  govern 
ment,  casts  twenty  votes  for  Ulysses  S.  Grant,  and  hopes 
never  again  to  vote  for  President  or  Vice-President  for  such 
a  traitor  as  Andrew  Johnson. 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  841 

Texas — Texas,  through  her  delegation  here  assembled,  has 
instructed  me  to  cast  twelve  votes  for  Ulysses  S.  Grant, 
from  the  Empire  State  of  the  South,  having  a  territory  of 
275,000  square  miles,  and  capable  of  sustaining  the  whole 
of  the  people. 

Vermont — The  Republicans  of  Vermont,  through  their 
delegation,  give  ten  votes  for  Ulysses  S.  Grant. 

Virginia — The  State  of  New  Virginia,  raised  from  the 
grave  that  General  Grant  dug  for  her  in  the  Appomattox,  in 
in  1865,  comes  up  here  with  her  twenty  votes  and  enlists 
under  his  banner,  and  they  propose  in  next  November  to 
move  on  the  enemy's  works. 

West  Virginia — West  Virginia,  in  the  front  of  the  rebel 
lion,  and  which  never  gave  a  Democratic  majority,  gives 
freely  and  willingly  her  ten  votes  for  Ulysses  S.  Grant  for 
President.  [Applause.]  Mr.  Chairman,  West  Virginia  gives 
ten  votes  for  U.  S.  Grant. 

Wisconsin — Mr.  Chairman:  Wisconsin,  the  last  on  the 
roll  of  States,  adds  her  voice  to  that  of  her  sister  States, 
and  gives  her  sixteen  votes  for  Ulysses  S.  Grant. 

Mr.  President:  Wisconsin  gives  sixteen  votes  for  U.  S. 
Grant.  The  roll  is  completed  with  the  following  result : 


THE   VOTE    FOR  PRESIDENT. 

No  of  Votes  for 

States                                                                  Delegates.  Grant. 

Alabama 10  10 

Arkansas 10  10 

California 10  10 

Colorado G  G 

Connecticut 12  12 

Delaware^ 6  6 

Florida  6  6 

Georgia 18  18 

Illinois...                                                          ..  32  32 


342  LIFE    OP    GRANT. 

No.  of  Votes  for 

States.  Delegates.  Grant. 

Indiana 26  26 

Iowa , 16  16 

Kansas '. 6  6 

Kentucky 22  22 

Louisiana 14  14 

Maine 14  14 

Maryland 14  14 

Massachusetts 24  24 

Michigan 16  16 

Minnesota 8  8 

Mississippi 14  14 

Missouri 22  22 

Nebraska 6  6 

Nevada 6  6 

New  Hampshire 10  10 

New  Jersey 14  14 

New  York 66  66 

North  Carolina 18  18 

Ohio 42  42 

Oregon 6  6 

Pennsylvania 52  52 

Rhode  Island 8  8 

South  Carolina 12  12 

Tennessee 20  20 

Texas 12  12 

Vermont 10  10 

Virginia 20  20 

West  Virginia 10  10 

Wisconsin 16  16 

Total....                                         ..  636  636 


In  addition  to  the  above,  Dakotah,  Idaho,  Montana,  and 
the  District  of  Columbia  gave  each  two  votes  for  General 
Grant. 

The  President.  Gentlemen  of  the  Convention,  you  have 
given  six  hundred  and  forty-four  votes  for  General  Ulysses 


LIFE    OF    (5  RANT.  343 

S.  Grant,  and  he  is  unanimously  nominated  for  the  office  of 

President  of  the  United  States. 

s 

HOW  THE    ANNOUNCEMENT   WAS   RECEIVED. 

The  announcement  by  the  chair  that  General  Grant  had 
received  the  total  vote  of  the  Convention  was  received  with 
the  \vildest  applause.  A  curtain  was  withdrawn  at  the  back 
of  the  stage,  displaying  a  magnificent  painting  of  the  White 
House,  with  the  Goddess  of  Liberty  beckoning  General 
Grant  toward  it.  Words  can  not  describe  the  enthusiasm 
that  this  produced.  The  Convention  arose,  the  delegates 
swinging  their  arms  and  shouting  while  the  galleries  flut 
tered  with  handkerchiefs.  Doves,  colored  red,  white  and 
blue,  were  launched  from  the  galleries,  and  flying  about  the 
hall  added  a  pleasing  feature  to  the  animated  scene.  A 
glee  club  came  forward  and  sang  a  song  composed  expressly 
for  the  occasion,  the  burden  of-  which  was  that  they  would 
<;  fight  it  out  on  this  line  if  it  takes  all  summer,"  while  the 
Great  Western  Light- Guard  Band  played  several  patriotic 
airs,  to  the  intense  delight  of  all  in  the  Convention. 

A  delegate  from  Indiana,  Mr.  Chairman,  I  move  that 
we  try  our  throats  on  three  times  three  with  swinging  hats 
and  waving  handkerchiefs. 

They  were  given  with  a  will,  the  band  in  the  meantime 
playing  "Rally  round  the  flag,"  and  delegates  all  joined  in 
singing. 

A   DISPATCH   TO    GRANT. 

A  Delegate.  I  move  that  the  President  of  this  Conven 
tion  be  authorized  and  requested  to  transmit  a  telegraphic 
dispatch  to  General  Grant. 

A  Delegate.     I  second  the  motion. 

The  delegates  still  remained  standing,  and  it  was  difficult 
for  the  President  to  hear  any  thing. 


LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

The  President.     The  Convention  will  come  to  order. 

Three  gentlemen  then  sang  a  song  composed  for  the 
occasion.  It  was  received  with  applause. 

As  soon  as  order  could  be  restored,  the  Convention  pro 
ceeded  to  nominate  a  candidate  for  Vice-President,  of 
which  we  shall  speak  in  another  chapter.  (See  Life  of 
Colfax.) 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  845 


CHAPTER    XX. 

HOW  GENERAL  GRANT  RECEIVED  THE  NEWS  OF  HIS  NOMINATION THE  EN 
THUSIASM  IN  WASHINGTON — PROCESSIONS ADDRESS  TO  GENERAL  GRANT 

P,Y  GOVERNOR  BOUTWELL — GRANT'S  REPLY — RECEPTION  OF  THE  SOL- 
DIERS'  AND  SAILORS'  COMMITTEE — PRESENTATION  BY  COLONEL  ALLEMAN 
— GRANT'S  REPLY — RECEPTION  AT  GRANT'S  RESIDENCE  IN  THE  EVENING 
— PRESENTATION  OF  THE  REPUBLICAN  NATIONAL  CONVENTION'S  RESOLU 
TIONS  BY  GOVERNOR  HAWLEY ABLE  SPEECH  BY  HAWLEY GENERAL 

GRANT'S  REPLY — GRANT  FORMALLY  ACCEPTS  THE  REPUBLICAN  NOMINA 
TION CONCLUSION. 

GENERAL  GRANT,  who  had  been  attending  to  his  official 
duties  all  day,  was  at  his  head-quarters  in  Washington 
when  the  news  was  conveyed  to  him  of  his  nomination.  He 
puffed  his  cigar  very  vigorously  for  a  few  minutes,  hut  said 
not  a  word.  Soon  callers  began  to  drop  in  to  congratulate 
him,  and  the  modest  General  took  the  first  opportunity  to 
steal  away  and  retire  to  his  house. 

In  the  evening  a  great  throng  of  people,  headed  by  a 
brass  band,  marched  through  the  streets  and  proceeded  to 
General  Grant's  residence. 

After  the  band  played  "  Hail  to  the  Chief,"  calls  were 
made  for  "  Grant,"  when  he  appeared  at  the  door  and  was 
greeted  with  prolonged  cheers.  Representative  Boutwell, 
of  Massachusetts,  who  was  standing  at  his  side,  addressed 
him  as  follows : 

General :  This  assemblage  of  your  fellow-citizens,  brought 
together  without  organization  or  previous  arrangement, 


\ 

346  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

have  desired  me  to  express  to  you  their  gratification  at  your 
unanimous  nomination  for  President  of  the  United  States  by 
the  Republican  Convention  recently  assembled  at  Chicago. 
The  unanimity  with  which  you  have  been  nominated,  almost, 
if  not  altogether  without  a  parallel  in  the  history  of  our 
country,  furnishes  sufficient  indication  of  the  vast  majority, 
if  not  entire  unanimity,  with  which  the  nomination  will  be 
sustained  by  the  loyal  people  of  the  country.  The  Repub 
lican  party  has  not  yet  had  an  opportunity  to  test  its  ca 
pacity  for  the  government  of  the  Republic  in  time  of  peace. 
We  have  had  a  war  of  more  than  four  years'  duration,  but 
the  valiant  and  patriotic  people  of  this  country,  under  your 
leadership,  quelled  the  mightiest  rebellion  the  world  has  ever 
seen  against  the  best  government  ever  known  to  mankind. 
You  will  be  supported  in  the  contest  upon  which  you  have 
entered  by  the  same  heroic  men  who  were  with  you  at  Shi- 
loh,  in  the  Wilderness,  and  before  Richmond ;  and  you  are 
to  meet  with  the  opposition  of  a  comparatively  few  of  those 
who  have  returned,  to  the  support  of  the- Union,  the  Consti 
tution,  and  the  flag  of  the  country,  and,  with  but  few  excep 
tions,  you  are  to  be  opposed  by  men  animated  by  the  same 
principles  which  animated  the  men  engaged  in  the  rebellion 
you  were  engaged  in  overthrowing. 

After  continuing  in  this  strain  for  some  time  Governor 
Boutwell  concluded,  when  General  Grant  stepped  forward 
and  said : 

SPEECH    BY   GENERAL    GRANT. 

"  Gentlemen :  Being  entirely  unaccustomed  to  public 
speaking,  and  without  any  desire  to  cultivate  that  power,  it  is 
impossible  for  me  to  find,  appropriate  language  to  thank  you 
for  this  demonstration.  All  that  I  can  say  is  this,  that  to 
whatever  position  I  may  be  called  by  your  will,  I  shall 
endeavor  to  discharge  its  duties  with  fidelity  and  honesty  of 


LIFE    OP   GRANT.  347 

purpose.  Of  my  rectitude  in  the  performance  of  public 
duties  you  will  have  to  judge  yourselves  by  my  record 
before  you." 

It  will  be  remembered  that  a  committee  of  nine  were 
appointed  by  the  Soldiers'  and  Sailors''  Convention  to  notify 
General  Grant  of  his  nomination  by  his  old  comrades  in 
arms.  On  the  29th  of  May  the  committee  discharged  the 
duty  assigned  it.  The  affair  came  off  at  the  house  of 
General  Grant,  in  Washington,  and  was  witnessed  by  a 
crowd  of  people. 

After  a  lively  hand-shaking,  Colonel  Alleman,  of  Penn 
sylvania,  delivered  a  few  complimentary  remarks. 

General  Grant  spoke,  in  reply,  as  follows : 

SPEECH    OP    GENERAL   GRANT. 

"Gentlemen  of  the  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Convention: 
I  will  say,  while  it  was  never  a  desire  of  mine  to  be  a  can 
didate  for  political  office,  it  affords  me  great  gratification  to 
feel  that  I  have  the  support  of  those  who  were  with  me  in 
the  war.  If  I  did  not  feel  I  had  the  confidence  of  those,  I 
would  feel  less  desirous  of  accepting  the  position.  The 
acceptance  of  the  office  is  not  a  matter  of  choice,  but  of 
duty.  Hoping,  having  accepted  the  nomination,  I  will 
receive  your  aid  till  next  November,  I  must  thank  you, 
gentlemen,  for  the  honor  you  have  conferred  upon  me." 

There  were  present  all  the  Convention  Committee,  with 
whom  were  General  Gregg,  Generals  Rawlins,  Bodeau, 
Porter,  Comstock,  Dent,  and  Babcock,  and  Colonels  Parker, 
Webster  and  Lee,  of  the  General's  staff. 

After  a  few  moments'  conversation,  General  Grant  ex 
tended  a  cordfol  invitation  to  the  committee  to  be  present  at 
his  residence  in  the  evening,  on  occasion  of  the  formal 
presentation  of  the  nomination  of  the  National  Republican 
Convention. 


348  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

In  the  evening  the  committee  attended  as  invited,  when  a 
committee  similar  to  their  own,  appointed  by  the  citizen 
convention,  officially  notified  General  Grant  of  his  nomina 
tion. 

At  the  residence  of  General  Grant  about  two  hundred 
persons  were  present,  including  delegates  to  the  Convention, 
several  members  of  Congress,  General  Grant's  staff,  and  the 
ladies  of  the  families  of  General  Grant  and  Speaker  Colfax. 
These  two  gentlemen  stood  side  by  side,  and  the  spectators 
formed  in  a  semicircle  in  front  of  them,  thus  affording  a 
full  view  of  the  proceedings.  General  Hawley,  President 
of  the  Convention,  delivered  the  following  address : 

"  GENTLEMEN  :  The  National  Union  Republican  party 
assembled  in  national  convention  on  the  20th  of  this 
month,  appointed  us,  the  officers  of  the  Convention,  to  wait 
upon  you.  In  obedience  to  its  instructions  we  give  you  a 
copy  of  the  record  of  its  proceedings.  You  will  perceive 
that  it  was  governed  by  the  most  patriotic  motives.  Har 
monious,  enthusiastic,  and  determined;  we  mean,  in  your 
own  words,  '  to  save  in  peace  what  we  won  in  war.'  We 
mean  to  make  it  a  solemn,  practical  reality  in  the  United 
States,  that  all  men  are  created  equal,  endowed  by  their 
Creator  with  certain  inalienable  rights,  among  which  are 
life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness.  We  intend  that 
there  shall  never  be  cause  or  opportunity  for  a  civil  war  in 
this  nation,  originated  either  by  those  who  would  enslave 
their  fellow-men,  or  those  who  must  fight  to  regain  their 
freedom.  We  believe  there  can  be  no  permanent  peace 
save  in  justice  and  equal  rights,  the  equality  of  all  men 
before  the  law.  We  hope  to  see  our  Government  reaching 
to  the  remotest  corner  and  to  the  humblest  person,  securing 
to  him,  by  impartial  and  irresistible  power,  his  personal 
safety,  the  right  to  the  avails  of  his  labor,  and  the  right  and 


LIFE    OF    GRANT.  349 

the  opportunity  for  physical,  mental,  and  moral  advance 
ment.  The  best  guarantee  for  the  continuance  of  such  a 
Government,  is  to  give  to  all  classes  impartially  a  share  in 
its  management.  We  hear  much  of  forgiveness  and 
fraternity.  We  do  most  earnestly  desire  a  speedy  return 
of  the  policy  and  measures  of  peaceful  time.  None  long 
more  for  a  fully  restored  Union  than  those  who  sustained 
their  Government  during  the  late  dreadful  war.  But  the 
dead  men  have  left  a  trust  in  our  hands.  We  long  for 
peace  and  good- will,  but  we  have  no  friends  who  oppress 
their  fellow-men.  We  do  not  idly  and  hopelessly  ask  for 
indemnity  for  the  past.  We  do  ask  for  security  for  the 
future.  You  will  see  that  the  Convention  believes  that 
integrity,  simplicity,  and  economy  in  governmental  affairs 
are  the  duties  of  good  citizens  and  honorable  men.  It 
makes  the  strict  fulfillment  of  national  obligations  a  point 
of  honor,  never  to  be  waived.  While  the  civilized  world 
recognizes  a  full  and  final  payment  as  the  only  payment, 
the  Union  Republican  party  will  never  consent  to  tender 
any  other.  The  equal  rights  of  adopted  citizens  are  clearly 
asserted,  and  all  people  who  love  our  Government  are 
hospitably  invited  to  come  and  enjoy  its  benefits  and  con 
tribute  to  its  strength.  The  Convention  spoke  in  nothing 
more  warmly  than  in  proffering  a  hearty  welcome  to  all 
those  who,  lately  in  arms  against  the  United  States,  are 
now  frankly  and  honestly  cooperating  in  restoring  peace 
and  establishing  a  truly  free  government.  During  the  last 
three  years  countless  indications  of  the  people's  choice  for 
the  next  President  have  been  converging  upon  yourself. 
Having  made  its  statement  of  principles  and  purposes,  the 
Convention  deliberately  and  formally,  State  by  State,  Terri 
tory  by  Territory,  recorded  the  will  of  its  constituents,  and 
unanimously  nominated  you  for  President  of  the  United 
States,  following  the  work  by  tumultuous  and  long-con- 


350  LIFE    OF   GRANT. 

tinued  manifestations  of  joy,  pride,  and  confidence.  We 
know  you  will  be  faithful  to  the  Constitution  and  the  laws, 
and  to  the  sympathies  and  principles  that  you  are  called  to 
represent.  We  know  that  you  will  not  seek  to  enforce 
upon  the  unwilling  representatives  of  the  people  any  policy 
of  your  own  devising,  for  you  have  said  that  '  the  will  of 
the  people  is  the  law  of  the  land.'  The  records  of  this 
war,  and  of  your  subsequent  fidelity,  afford  the  evidence 
that  the  nation  can  safely  and  wisely  place  you  in  the  chair 
of  Washington  and  Lincoln.  In  behalf  of  the  Convention, 
we  tender  you  its  nomination  for  President,  and  solicit  its 
acceptance.  We  can  give  you  no  higher  proof  of  our 
gratitude  for  your  past,  or  our  confidence  in  your  future. 
We  propose  to  elect  you." 

After  the  applause  with  which  the  above  speech  was 
received  had  ceased,  General  Grant  replied  as  follows : 

"Mr.  President,-  and  gentlemen  of  the  National  Union 
Convention :  I  will  endeavor,  in  a  very  short  time,  to  write 
you,  accepting  the  trust  you  have  conferred  upon  me. 
[Applause.]  Expressing  my  gratitude  for  the  confidence 
you  have  placed  in  me,  I  will  now  say  but  little  orally,  and 
that  is  to  thank  you  for  the  unanimity  with  which  you  have 
selected  me  as  a  candidate  for  the  presidential  office.  I  can 
say,  in  addition,  that  I  looked  on,  during  the  proceedings  at 
Chicago,  with  a  great  deal  of  interest,  and  am  gratified 
with  the  harmony  and  the  unity  which  seemed  to  have 
governed  the  deliberations  of  the  Convention.  If  chosen  to 
fill  the  high  office  for  which  you  have  selected  me,  I  will 
give  to  its  duties  the  same  energy,  the  same  spirit,  and  the 
same  will  that  I  have  given  to  the  performance  of  all  the 
duties  which  have  devolved  on  me  heretofore.  Whether  I 
shall  be  able  to  perform  these  duties  to  your  entire  satisfac- 


LIFE    OF   GRANT.  351 

tion,  time  will  determine.  You  have  truly  said,  in  the 
course  of  your  address,  that  I  shall  have  no  policy  of  my 
to  interpose  against  the  will  of  the  people." 


own 


As  the  General  conclude?!  his  speech,  there  was  long- 
continued  applause. 

The  following  is  General  Grant's  letter  to  General 
Hawley,  formally  accepting  the  Republican  nomination  for 
President : 

"WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  May  29,  1868. 

"To    General   Joseph    E.    Hawley,   President   of    the   National   Union 
Republican  Convention : 

"In  formally  accepting  the  nomination  of  the  National 
Union  Republican  Convention  of  the  21st  of  May,  it  seems 
proper  that  some  statement  of  my  views  beyond  the  mere 
acceptance  of  the  nomination  should  be  expressed. 

"  The  proceedings  of  the  Convention  were  marked  with 
wisdom,  moderation,  and  patriotism,  and,  I  believe,  express 
the  feelings  of  the  great  mass  of  those  who  sustained  the 
country  through  its  trials.  I  indorse  their  resolutions,  and, 
if  elected  to  the  office  of  President  of  the  United  States,  it 
will  be  my  endeavor  to  administer  all  the  laws  in  good 
faith,  with  economy,  and  with  the  view  of  giving  peace, 
quiet,  and  protection  every-where. 

"  In  times  like  the  present  it  is  impossible,  or  at  least 
eminently  improper,  to  lay  down  a  policy  to  be  adhered  to, 
right  or  wrong,  through  an  administration  of  four  years. 
Kew  political  issues,  not  foreseen,  are  constantly  arising. 
The  views  of  the  public  on  old  ones  are  constantly  changing, 
and  a  purely  administrative  officer  should  be  left  free  to 
execute  the  will  of  the  people.  I  have  always  respected 
that  will,  and  always  shall. 

"Peace    and    universal    prosperity,    its    sequence,    with 


352  LIFE    OF    GRANT. 

economy  of  administration,  will  lighten  the  burden  of  taxa 
tion,  while  it  constantly  reduces  the  national  debt.  Let  us 
have  peace.  With  great  respect, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

«U.  S.  GRANT." 

Our  task  is  done.  Our  life  of  Grant,  such  as  it  is,  is 
written,  and  we  send  it  forth,  hoping  it  may  contribute,  in 
some  small  degree,  to  the  election  of  the  illustrious  chieftain. 
We  lay  down  our  pen,  feeling  very  confident,  indeed,  that 
the  American  people,  with  that  good  sense  and  judgment 
which  has  heretofore  characterized  their  public  action,  will, 
in  November  next,  confer  upon  him  that  civic  crown  of  the 
republic — the  Presidency — which  is  not  only  the  highest 
office  in  this  country,  but  in  the  world.  Such  action  would 
be  alike  honorable  to  them  and  the  man,  a  fit  recognition  by 
a  grateful  people  of  the  eminent  services  he  rendered  in 
times  of  great  public  danger,  and  the  cap-sheaf  to  a  life 
which,  for  public  worth  and  private  purity,  has  not  been 
surpassed  since  the  days  of  Washington. 


HON.  SCHLIYLER  COLP'AX. 


LIFE  OF  SOHUYLER  COLFAX. 


23 


LIFE  OF  SCHUYLEK  COLFAX. 


CHAPTER    I. 

BIRTH  AND  PARENTAGE-OF  COLFAX — DEATH  OF  HIS  FATHER — POVERTY  AND 

EARLY  STRUGGLES  OF  THE  FAMILY HIS  EDUCATION  AND  HABITS — HIS 

MOTHER  MARRIES  MR.  MATTHEWS — SCHUYLER  A  CLERK THEY  REMOVE 

TO  INDIANA COLFAX  DRIVES  A  WAGON  ACROSS  MICHIGAN HIS  STEP 
FATHER  SETTLES  AT  NEW  CARLISLE COLFAX  A  CLERK  AGAIN THE 

"STORE  AND  POST-OFFICE" — YOUNG  COLFAX  AS  AN  ORACLE — HIS  FIRST 

ACQUAINTANCE  WITH  HON.  JOHN  D.  DEFREES A  FRIEND  IN  NEED GOES 

TO  SOUTH  BEND — READS  LAW — IS  DEPUTY  COUNTY  AUDITOR THE  MOOT 

LEGISLATURE — WRITES  FOR  THE   NEWSPAPERS IS  APPOINTED   SENATE 

REPORTER— ESTABLISHES  THE  VALLEY  REGISTER,  AND  BECOMES  AN  EDI 
TOR—HIS  POVERTY  AND  STRUGGLES  SUCCEEDS  AT  LAST HIS  POPULARITY 

WITH  THE  PEOPLE HELPS  TO  FRAME  THE  CONSTITUTION  OF  INDIANA — 

OPPOSITION  TO  THE  BLACK  LAWS IS   NOMINATED  FOR  CONGRESS — HIS 

DEFEAT IS  A  DELEGATE  TO  THE  NATIONAL  CONVENTIONS  OF  1848  AND 

1852,  AND  VOTES  FOR  TAYLOR  AND  SCOTT — HIS  POLITICS — PURITY  OF 
HIS  CHARACTER IS  RENOMINATED  AND  TRIUMPHANTLY  ELECTED  TO  CON 
GRESS — BEGINS  HIS  LEGISLATIVE  CAREER. 

FORTY-SIX  years  ago,  in  the  summer  of  1822,  there  lived 
in  North  Moore  Street,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  a  young 
married  couple,  whose  home  has  now  become  a  matter  of 
historical  interest.  The  husband,  a  patient,  hard-working 
young  man,  clerked  in  a  bank,  and  the  wife,  a  mere  girl 
of  fifteen,  took  care  of  the  quiet  home.  These  people  were 
the  parents  of  Schuyler  Colfax,  the  next  Vice-President  of 

(355) 


356  LIFE   OF   COLFAX. 

the  United  States.  The  same  year,  and  before  the  subject 
of  our  sketch  was  born,  Mr.  Colfax  died,  and  the  mother, 
in  affectionate  remembrance  of  his  father,  named  her  child 
Schuyler.  Left  alone  with  her  son,  the  grief-stricken  young 
mother  found  it  hard  enough  struggling  with  the  world,  but 
she  bravely  determined,  by  the  help  of  God,  to  raise  up 
the  boy  to  be  an  honorable  and  useful  man. 

Schuyler  Colfax  first  saw  the  light  on  the  23d  day  of 
March,  1823,  and  was  a  puny,  delicate  child.  Had  the 
ancient  rule  been  enforced  to  slay  all  puny  children,  Colfax, 
Alexander,  Napoleon,  and  Grant  would  not  long  have 
troubled  the  world,  for  they  were  all  weakly  children. 

Schuyler  grew  up  a  slender,  flaxen-haired,  loving  boy, 
seemingly  toq  delicate  to  contend  with  the  rough  storms 
of  life.  Reared  among  grown  people,  he  had  no  toys  or 
children's  plays,  and  was  trying  to  earn  a  livelihood  when 
he  ought  to  have  been  in  the  nursery  or  at  school.  He 
was  always  a  boy-man,  and  seemed  from  the  first  to  under 
stand  and  sympathize  with  his"  mother  in  her  loneliness. 
To  cheer  and  comfort  her  was  his  sole  delight,  and  when, 
but  a  little  child,  he  would  appeal  to  her  to  know  what  he 
could  do  to  help  her  along.  The  mother  and  son  were  all 
in  all  to  each  other,  and  though  widowed  and  fatherless, 
each  felt  they  were  not  entirely  alone  in  the  world.  Forty 
years  have  passed  away  since  the  time  of  which  we  are 
writing,  but  the  confidence  of  early  affection  is  as  bright 
and  pure  to-day  as  it  ever  was,  and  Schuyler  Colfax  and 
his  mother,  by  their  fireside,  presents  one  of  the  pleasantest 
home  pictures  in  America.  Still  the  strong  man,  wise 
statesman,  and  distinguished  citizen  is  the  same  simple- 
hearted,  loving,  and  dutiful  son ;  still  the  fond  mother 
strokes,  with  tender  hand,  the  head  of  her  boy,  though  she 
is  old  now,  and  here  and  there  threads  of  silver  runs  through 
her  hair.  See  them  on  the  Sabbath  day,  seated  side  by 


LITE   OF   COLFAX.  357 

side  in  the  house  of  God,  listening  to  His  divine  word, 
praying  earnestly  for  the  peace  and  prosperity  of  the  coun 
try,  and  the  happiness  of  the  people  and  each  other.  Such 
is  the  blameless  life  led  by  the  second  man  in  the  nation, 
such  the  upright  and  honorable  example  set  by  him  to  the 
nation  and  the  world. 

Though  hard  pressed  by  poverty,  Mrs.  Colfax  kept  her 
boy  steadily  at  school.  In  those  days  there  were  no  public 
schools  in  New  York,  and  the  education  of  children  was 
both  troublesome  and  expensive  to  what  it  is  now.  Young 
Colfax  was  a  wonderfully  apt  scholar,  and  learned  rapidly, 
being  always  at  the  head  of  his  class.  His  mental  organi 
zation  seemed  as  quick  and  retentive  as  he  was  physically 
delicate  and  sensitive. 

The  boy  was  a  great  reader,  constantly  borrowing  books 
and  newspapers,  and  poring  over  them  for  hours.  Modest 
and  reticent,  he  always  had  strong  convictions  and  opinions 
of  his  own,  and  took  great  delight  in  maintaining  them. 
Those  who  argued  with  him  were  surprised  at  the  extent 
of  his  information  and  the  skill  and  ease  with  which  he  de 
bated  questions. 

When  ten  years  of  age  he  was  well  posted  upon  the 
political  issues  of  the  day,  and  was  even  then  an  earnest 
Whig.  About  this  time  Schuyler  left  school,  and  his  mother 
soon  afterward  marrying  Mr.  Matthews,  a  commission  mer 
chant,  of  New  York,  the  boy  became  a  clerk  in  his  step 
father's  store.  Young  Colfax  was  prompt,  energetic,  and 
attentive  to  business,  but  could  not  give  over  his  fondness 
for  books,  and  whenever  he  could  snatch  an  hour  from  his 
duties  was  always  found  with  a  volume  in  his  hands.  His 
polite  deportment,  and  of  feeble  disposition,  made  him  a 
general  favorite ;  arid  hundreds  of  persons  yet  living  re 
member  the  pleasant  boy-face  that  they  met  forty  years 
ago.  Mr.  Matthews  was  not  successful  in  business,  and  in 


->58  LIFE    OF    COLPAX. 

1836  determined  to  try  his  fortunes  in  the  then  fast-grow 
ing  West. 

Thousands  were  turning  their  faces  toward  the  setting 

~  o 

sun,  and  one  morning,  as  the  shadows  of  night  were  leav 
ing  the  earth,  the  Matthews  family,  with  all  their  earthly 
goods  packed  in  a  wagon,  set  out  to  seek  a  Western  home. 
Crossing  Michigan,  young  Schuyler,  who  was  then  thirteen 
years  old,  driving  the  wagon,  the  emigrants  entered  the 
then  new  State  of  Indiana,  and  halted  at  the  little  village 
of  New  Carlisle,  fourteen  miles  west  of  South  Bend,  in  St. 
Joseph  County. 

Here  Mr.  Matthews  opened  a  small  store,  and  Schuyler 
became  his  clerk.  Again  his  genial  smile,  and  kind  and 
accommodating  disposition  won  him  hosts  of  friends,  and 
young  Colfax  was  a  great  favorite  with  the  villagers  and 
country  people.  He  prevailed  on  his  step-father  to  take 
the  post-office  into  the  store,  engaging  to  open  and  change 
the  mails.  Thus  he  had  free  access  to  plenty  of  newspa 
pers,  and  could  keep  himself  thoroughly  informed  on  all 
that  was  transpiring  in  the  country. 

Mr.  Matthews'  store  soon  became  a  place  of  resort,  and 
on  Saturday  afternoon  and  at  night  the  farmers  and  vil 
lagers  would  gather  in  to  hear  the  news.  Young  Schuyler 
Colfax  was  their  oracle,  and  even  those  who  took  the  papers 
found  it  more  pleasant  to  go  and  hear  Schuyler  toll  over 
what  was  going  on  than  to  read  the  paper.  He  was  always 
thoroughly  informed,  and  could  talk  in  a  plain,  intelligent  way, 
so  as  to  make  himself  perfectly  understood  by  the  simple- 
hearted,  honest  people  about  him.  Foreign  wars,  markets, 
domestic  news,  accidents,  what  they  were  doing  at  Wash 
ington,  speeches  of  the  great  men,  were  all  at  his  command, 
and  he  related  what  was  going  on  with  wonderful  accuracy 
and  ease.  That  Schuyler  Colfax  was  a  "  smart  boy,"  was 
the  verdict  of  many  a  villager,  but  not  one  of  them  dreamed 


LIFE    OF   COLFAX.  850 

for  a  moment  that  the  pale,  slender,  flaxen-haired  youth 
would,  twenty  years  later,  be  the  foremost  man  in  Congress, 
Speaker  of  the  House,  a  candidate  for  Vice-Presiderit,  and 
a  probable  future  President  of  the  United  States.  Colfax 
had  now  been  four  years  in  the  store  of  his  step-father,  and 
was  seventeen  years  old,  though  small  for  his  age. 

It  was  mail  day,  and,  as  it  came  but  once  a  week,  the 
usual  crowd  had  gathered  at  the  "store  and  post-office "  to 
get  their  mail,  hear  the  news,  and  while  away  the  even 
ing.  Among  those  gathered  on  that  particular  evening, 
was  a  stranger  in  the  village,  a  tall,  raw-boned  young  man, 
with  intellectual  face,  who  was  a  prominent  lawyer  at  the 
neighboring  county  seat  of  St.  Joseph.  The  lawyer  was 
stopping  over  night  in  the  village  of  Carlisle,  and  had  come 
down  to  the  post-office  to  borrow  a  paper  and  read  the 
news.  When  the  mail  arrived,  our  legal  friend  observed 
that  it  was  taken  in  charge  by  a  light-haired,  blue-eyed 
stripling,  whom  he  had  previously  noticed  behind  the  coun 
ter.  There'  was  something  in  the  thoughtful  but  pleasant 
face,  and  in  the  quick  and  active  movement  of  this  youth, 
which  at  once  attracted  his  attention  and  caused  him  to 
observe  him  closely.  After  the  mail  had  been  assorted  and 
distributed,  and  the  crowd  of  villagers  measurably  dispersed, 
he  drew  him  into  conversation.  The  longer  he  conversed 
with  him  the  more  he  became  charmed  with  his  manners 
and  the  intelligence  which  he  displayed.  Small  of  stature, 
but  evidently  older  than  his  appearance  indicated,  with  eyes 
that  fairly  sparkled  and  danced  when  he  became  animated 
in  conversation,  with  a  face  pleasing  and  handsome,  both  in 
^repose  and  when  agitated,  he  was  a  boy  that  could  riot  fail 
to  attract  and  interest  the  stranger.  He  seemed  to  take  a 
deep  interest  in  matters  of  public  policy,  and  had  already 
formed  most  decided  political  opinions.  Those  opinions, 
harmonizing  with  the  views  of  the  stranger,  who  was  a 


800  LIFE    OF   COLFAX. 

leading  Whig,  and  as  such  had  several  times  represented 
the  county  in  the  legislature,  led  him  to  propose  to  the 
young  man  to  accompany  him  home  and  enter  his  office  as 
a  student  of  law.  While  the  proposition  seemed  to  please 
him  very  much,  his  sense  of  duty  to  his  mother  and  his  step 
father  caused  him  to  decline  the  generous  offer.  "For," 
said  he,  "  while  our  business  is  neither  large  nor  lucrative, 
I  have  principally  attended  to  it  myself;  should  I  go  away 
I  fear  it  would  decline  and  not  even  afford  us  a  support. 
As  we  have  nothing  laid  by,  and  no  other  income  to  look 
to  for  support,  I  could  not  think  of  leaving,  at  least,  for  the 
present."  Then  his  new-found  friend  explained  to  him  that 
the  legislature,  which  had  just  adjourned,  had  provided  for 
the  office  of  county  auditor — that  if  he  desired  to  read  law 
he  thought  he  might  secure  his  step-father  the  appointment 
of  auditor,  which  would  give  him  a  better  income  than  he 
was  now  receiving;  that  in  that  event  he  could  act  as  deputy 
auditor  and  pursue  the  study  of  law  while  not  otherwise 
engaged.  This  proposition,  on  being  submitted  to  the  boy's 
step-father,  was  readily  accepted,  his  appointment  as  auditor 
of  the  county  secured,  and  Schuyler  Colfax,  soon  to  fill  the 
second  place  in  the  gift  of  the  American  people,  accom 
panied  him  to  South  Bend  as  his  deputy,  where  he  was  to 
read  law  in  the  office  of  Hon.  John  D.  Defrees,  who  was 
the  generous  stranger  that  had  so  kindly  assisted  him  and 
his.  This  was  the  turning  point  in  young  Colfax's  life. 
He  was  to  read  law  during  his  leisure  hours  in  Mr.  Defrees' 
office,  and  he  seems  to  have  been  very  diligent  in  his  studies, 
for  it  was  not  many  months  before  he  was  an  acknowledged 
expounder  of  State  law.  But  he  did  not  complete  his  legal 
education.  We  doubt  if  he  had  much  of  a  relish  for  the 
dry  details  of  statutes. 

His  reading  of  law,  however,  was  not  confined   to  that 
required  for  exercising  an  auditor's  duties;  he  found  time  to 


LIFE    OF    COLFAX.  361 

make  himself  master  of  its  great  principles,  rather,  however, 
for  the  sake  of  the  general  culture  it  might  afford  him,  than 
with  the  view  of  adopting  it  as  a  profession.  During  this 
period,  too,  he  was  practicing  himself  in  that  facility  for 
putting  his  thoughts  on  paper,  which  was  afterward  of  so 
much  advantage  to  him.  A  gentleman,  well  known  in  the 
philanthropic  circles  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn,  who  had 
been  a  schoolmate  of  Mr.  Colfax  in  -the  Crosby  Street 
school,  which  was  the  last  one  he  attended  in  New  York 
City,  kept  up  a  correspondence  with  him  during  those  years 
of  his  service  as  deputy  auditor,  and  says  :  "  Schuyler's  let 
ters  in  those  days  were  very  interesting;  they  were  filled 
with  details  concerning  his  studies,  knotty  questions  which  he 
wanted  me  to  aid  him  in  clearing  up,  and  brilliant  thoughts 
often  expressed  with  the  same  felicity  which  now  marks  his 


writings." 


To  such  a  youth,  writing  for  the  newspapers  was  almost  a 
necessity.  There  had  been  a  paper  in  South  Bend,  edited  for 
some  years  by  his  friend  John  D.  Defrees,  and  Colfax  con 
tributed  often  to  its  columns.  Among  the  inevitable  schemes 
of  American  village  life,  that  of  "  a  debating  society  "  arose 
in  1843,  at  South  Bend.  In  maturing  outlines,  somebody's 
prophetic  soul  caught  the  inspiration  of  a  moot  State  Legisla 
ture.  The  ayes  had  it,  whereupon  Mr.  Defrees,  now  congress 
ional  printer,  was  made  "Mr.  Speaker/'  and  the  future 
Speaker  of  "The  Historic  Congress"  found  himself  "the 
honorable  gentleman  from  Newton,"  now  a  county  in  his  pres 
ent  congressionaldistrict.  Thus  our  fledgling  orators  debated 
not  hackneyed  didactics,  but  "bills,"  and  all  proceedings 
were  conducted  according  to  strict  parliamentary  rules, 
which,  doubtless,  gave  rural  members  much  perplexing  study; 
yet  "Newton  County"  faltered  not.  The  pages  of  Jefferson's 
and  Cushing's  Manuals  were  carefully  and  thoroughly  conned, 
till  "the  gentleman  from  Newton"  became  as  conversant  with 


:->  LIFE    OF    COLFAX. 

i 

the  rules  and  usages  of  "the  House"  as  any  presiding  officer 
in  our  State  Legislatures.  This,  and  the  habit  of  off-hand 
debate,  were  of  great  advantage  to  him  in  o,fter  years,  and 
contributed  much  to  make  him,  as  he  is  acknowledged  to 
he,  by  all  parties,  the  best  presiding  officer  the  House  of 
Representatives  has  had  for  many  years. 

Mr.  Defrees,  having  now  removed  to  Indianapolis  and 
taken  charge  of  the  State  Journal,  procured  from  the  Senate 
for  his  friend  Colfax  the  position  of  Senate  Reporter  for 
the  Journal.  He  was  now  fast  laying  the  foundation  for 
future  usefulness.  His  two  years'  service  at  Indianapolis,  as 
Senate  reporter  for  the  State  Journal,  gave  Mr.  Colfax  a  rarely 
clear  solution  of  the  perplexities  of  parliamentary  usage, 
he  little  dreaming  that  the  knowledge  and  skill  thus  obtained 
would  later  set  boundaries  to  congressional  debate  and 
grandly  historic  legislation. 

Like  rays  of  Empire's  star,  white  lines  of  covered  wagons 
followed  westward.  Immigrants  poured  in.  Franklin  thrift 
longed  for  Franklin's  printing-press,  and  yielding  to  the 
solicitation  of  a  few  enterprising  men,  Colfax,  in  1845,  with 
only  two  hundred  and  fifty  subscribers,  began  the  publica 
tion  of  the  St.  Joseph  Valley  Register.  It  was  a  small  con 
cern,  being  such  a  sheet  as  every  Western  settlement  issues 
as  a  sort  of  flyer  to  a  job  printing  business  as  soon  as  it 
has  got  its  school-house,  grocery,  hotel,  and  blacksmith- 
shop,  and  begins  to  think  about  having  a  meeting-house. 
The  "  typo "  out  West  frequently  gets  the  start  of  tho 
preacher,  though  the  race  is  close.  Those  who  saw  Colfax 
then  "at  the  case,"  describe  him  as  a  light,  spindling,  flaxen 
haired,  boyish  looking  youth — clever  rather  in  the  Yankee 
than  the  English  sense — with  a  delicacy  of  temperament 
which  suggested  a  doubt  whether  he  had  the  stamina  to  live 
to  manhood,  without  the  faintest  suggestion  that  in  his 
mature  years  he  would  be  fifteen  years  in  Congress,  Speaker 


LIFE    OF    COLFAX.  oG 

of  the  House,  and  the  second  choice  of  the  people  for 
President.  The  news  in  those  days  came  to  South  Bend 
by  stage  from  Detroit,  or  up  the  St.  Joe  River  to  the  lake, 
and  there  was  precious  little  of  them  at  that.  But  Colfax 
made  his  paper  readable,  and  often  late  in  the  night,  he 
could  be  found  at  his  desk  or  over  "the  case."  Mr.  Colfax 
was  not,  as  many  writers  have  supposed,  a  practical  printer. 
He  never  had  been  apprenticed  to  the  printing  business, 
and  knew  nothing  of  the  practical  part  of  the  "  art  preserv 
ative  of  all  arts"  until  after  he  had  commenced  the  publi 
cation  of  The  Register.  With  his  ready  tact  and  quick 
perception,  however,  and  great  anxiety  to  economise,  for 
his  means  were  yet  very  limited,  he  soon  mastered  the  art 
sufficiently  to  "  help  out  of  the  drag,"  but  he  never  attained 
to  any  great  proficiency  in  the  business,  his  editorial  labors, 
the  business  of  the  office,  and  other  duties  soon  claiming  his 
entire  attention.  His  paper  was  now  prospering  and  acquiring 
influence;  subscribers,  advertising,  and  money  coming  in, 
and  the  poor  editor  saw  The  Itec/ister  firmly  established  as 
a  paying  institution.  Still  Mr.  Colfax  gave  his  entire  at 
tention  to  his  newspaper  business.  Every  paragraph,  how 
ever  small,  that  went  into  his  columns,  was  carefully  exam 
ined,  and  bore  the  reflex  of  the  elevated  mind  and  thoughts 
of  the  editor.  Colfax  was  a  Whig,  and  his  sympathies  were 
with  his  party,  and  he  ably  defended  its  principles ;  but 
though  often  attacked,  personally  and  with  scurrilous  abuse, 
by  the  Democratic  papers  of  that  section,  he  never  allowed 
a  discourteous  or  abusive  word  in  his  paper.  lie  was  too 
thoroughly  a  gentleman  in  word,  and  thought,  and  nature 
to  stoop  to  scurrility,  and  his  opponents  soon  found  that 
they  injured  themselves  in  their  efforts  to  injure  him. 

In  South  Bend  every  body  liked  him  and  believed  in  him. 
The  magnetism  of  his  genial  face,  his  kindly  nature,  and  his 
cordial  hand  grasp  won  all  hearts.  He  was,  the  villagers 


364  LIFE    OF   COLFAX. 

said,  a  remarkable  man,  especially  for  a  newspaper  editor. 
He  paid  his  debts;  he  drank  no  whisky;  he  was  prudent 
and  economical ;  he  never  uttered  an  oath ;  and  though  it 
was  only  by  careful  management  that  he  avoided  debt,  he 
always  seemed  to  have  something  to  give  to  the  poor. 

He  was,  during  this  period,  steadily  gaining  in  reputation 
as  a  political  writer  and  speaker,  and  had  now  fairly  estab 
lished  his  claim  to  intellectual  superiority.  His  county 
always  stood  by  him;  and,  in  1848,  he  was  chosen  a  dele 
gate  to  the  Whig  National  Convention,  which  nominated 
General  Taylor  for  the  Presidency.  He  was  elected  and 
served  as  one  of  the  secretaries  of  that  convention;  and, 
after  its  adjournment,  returned  home  and  entered  actively 
into  the  canvass  for  the  nominees. 

Two  years  later,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven,  in  1850, 
he  represented  St.  Joseph  County  in  the  convention  which 
framed  the  present  constitution  of  Indiana.  In  that  con 
vention,  he  opposed  with  all  his  ability  the  adoption  of  the 
clause  preventing  free  colored  men  from  settling  in  the 
State.  His  opposition  to  this  measure  caused  his  defeat 
for  Congress  the  next  year.  In  1851,  he  was  nominated 
for  Congress,  and  had  for  a  competitor  Dr.  Graham  N. 
Fitch,  an  old,  wily^  and  experienced  Democratic  politician, 
(subsequently  the  colleague  of  Jesse  D.  Bright,  as  Senator,) 
and  in  a  district  which  for  years  had  been  Democratic  by 
some  thousands  majority.  Dr.  Fitch  used  his  opposition  to 
the  black  laws  mercilessly  against  him  ;  but,  despite  the 
ability,  tact,  and  shrewdness  of  the  old  political  wire-worker, 
he  only  distanced  his  young  competitor  two  hundred  and 
thirty-eight  votes,  in  a  poll  of  over  eighteen  thousand. 

In  1852,  he  was  again  elected  a  delegate,  from  Indiana, 
to  the  Whig  National  Convention.  Of  this  body,  as  of  its 
predecessor,  Colfax  was  elected  secretary,  and  took  an 
active  part  in  the  nomination  of  General  Scott  for  the 


LIFE   OF   COLFAX.  3(35 

Presidency.  He  was  an  active  worker  in  the  campaign 
that  followed,  speaking  often  and  writing  much.  In  the 
spring  of  1853,  he  was  urged  to  accept  another  nomination 
for  Congress,  but  declined,  and  Dr.  Fitch  was  reflected  by 
a  majority  of  more  than  a  thousand  votes. 

It  was  the  era  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska  swindle,  and 
though  the  district  which  he  represented  was  strongly  op 
posed  to  this  measure,  and  his  constituents  used  all  their 
influence  to  dissuade  him  from  supporting  it,  yet  Dr.  Fitch 
was  so  mole-eyed  and  so  wedded  to  slavery  that  he  advocated 
and  voted  for  it  steadily. 

This  was  too  much  for  the  good  people  of  St.  Joseph 
County.  A  majority  of  them  had  voted  the  Democratic 
ticket  regularly,  but  they  were  determined  to  do  so  no 
longer.  The  young  editor  of  the  St.  Joseph  Valley  Register 
was  urged  to  accept  the  nomination  for  Congress,  and  did 
so.  The  canvass  in  that  district,  in  1854,  was  a  memorable 
one.  Colfax  was  very  active  ;  the  "  great  deep  "  of  Democ 
racy  in  Indiana  was  broken  up,  and  the  old  hunkers  laid  in  a 
political  grave  from  which,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  they  may  never 
be  resurrected.  Early  in  the  campaign,  young  Colfax,  who 
had  now  had  considerable  experience  as  a  debater,  and  was 
familiar  with  State  and  National  politics,  challenged  his 
competitor  to  travel  the  district  with  him,  and  discuss  before 
the  people  the  issues  involved.  Colfax  proved  himself  more 
than  a  match  in.  the  hustings  for  his  opponent,  and  the 
people  every-where  acknowledged  his  superiority  as  a  de 
bater.  His  mild  and  persuasive  manners,  his  earnest  and 
eloquent  declamation,  carried  all  hearts  by  storm,  and  he 
was  elected  by  seventeen  hundred  and  sixty-six  majority. 
He  was  now  thirty-one  years  of  age  when  he  commenced 
that  brilliant  career  in  Congress,  of  which  we  shall  speak 
hereafter,  and  which  has  continued  from  that  time  up  to  the 
present  without  a  single  interruption. 


306  LIFE    OF    COLFAX. 


CHAPTER    II. 

COLFAX    AS    AX    ODD-FELLOW — HIS    ENTRANCE     INTO     CONGRESS — SUPPORTS 

BANKS    FOR    THE    SPEAKERSHIP— HIS    FIRST    SPEECH    IN    CONGRESS IS    A 

MEMBER  OF  IMPORTANT  COMMITTEES ENTERS  THE  PRESIDENTIAL  CAM 
PAIGN  OF  1856 — IS  RE-ELECTED  TO  CONGRESS — HIS  IMMENSE  POPULARITY 
— IS  ELECTED  SPEAKER  OF  THE  XXXVIII  CONGRESS — SUPPORTS  THE  WAR 

— MR.  COLFAX' s  VIEWS  ON  THE  NATIONAL  ENTERPRISES — HE  SUPPORTS 

LINCOLN MR.    LINCOLN'S  FRIENDSHIP  FOR    HIM COLFAX   ON  THE   STUMP 

IS    AGAIN     RE-ELECTED    TO    CONGRESS RE-ELECTED    SPEAKER    OF    THE 

XXXIX  CONGRESS—HIS  POPULARITY    IN   THE    HOUSE THE    BEST    SPEAKER 

SINCE     CLAY REMARKABLE    ABILITY    OF     MR.     COLFAX    AS    A    PRESIDING 

OFFICER. 

MR.  COLFAX  has  for  many  years  been  an  active  member 
of  the  order  of  Odd-Fellows.  In  1849,  he  was  a  represen 
tative  from  Indiana  to  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  United  States, 
and  was  on  nearly  all  the  important  committees  in  that  body. 
In  1850,  he  was  one  of  a  committee  of  three  to  report  on 
the  propriety  of  founding  a  degree  for  the  wives  and  daugh 
ters  of  scarlet  degree  members  and  past  officers.  Messrs. 
La  Rue  and  Kennedy,  the  other  members  of  the  committee, 
made  a  majority  report  against  the  new  degree,  but  Mr. 
Col  fax  submitted  so  earnest  a  minority  report  that  the  ma 
jority  report  was  overruled  arid  a  female  degree  ordered. 
Out  of  Mr.  Colfax's  report  grew  what  is  at  the  present  day 
known  as  the  Daughters  of  Rebecca. 

In  1852,  Mr.  Colfax  was  again  on  all  the  important  com 
mittees  in  the  national  body  of  Odd-Fellows,  and  in  1854 
he  was  nominated  for  Grand  Sire  of  the  Order.  On  the 
first  ballot  he  received  the  highest  number  of  votes  cast, 


LIFE    OF    COLFAX.  06 7 

but  after  a  close  contest  was  beaten  by  Mr.  Ellis  tori,  of 
Massachusetts.  A  prominent  Odd-Fellow  said  not  lonjj 
since  he  would  rather  be  Grand  Sire  of  the  Order  than 
President  of  the  United  States.  We  believe  Mr.  Colfax  is 
still  a  prominent  member  of  the  organization. 

Exactly  sixteen  years  from  the  time  Colfax  entered  the 
office  of  his  friend  as  a  student  at  law,  he  entered,  for  the 
first  time,  the  capitol  of  the  nation  as  a  representative  of 
the  people.  Two  years  before,  he  had  competed  with  the 
able  and  wily  Dr.  Fitch  for  the  prize,  which  he  then  barely 
lost,  and  now,  in  the  second  race,  triumphantly  won,  in  a 
district  largely  Democratic. 

He  took  his  seat  in  Congress  at  the  time  of  the  protracted 
straggle  in  regard  to  the  efection  of  a  Speaker,  which  ter 
minated  in  the  choice  of  Nathaniel  P.  Banks,  and  he  gal 
lantly  plunged  into  the  contest.  His  maiden  speech  took 
the  whole  House  by  surprise.  It  not  only  demonstrated 
that  he  was  even  then  one  of  the  ablest  debaters  in  the 
House,  but  its  eloquence,  its  logical  power,  and  its  graphic 
portrayal  of  the  real  condition  of  Kansas,  and  of  the  iniquity 
of  the  border  ruffian  movement  made  it  one  of  the  most 
effective  speeches  ever  delivered  in  that  body.  It  was  a 
t>old  and  fearless  rebuke  of  the  slave  power,  made  in  the 
teeth  of  its  fire-eating  representatives.  It  was  methodical 
in  arrangement  and  powerful  in  argument — every  charge 
was  clinched  with  such  proofs  as  none  dared  to  dispute.  With 
the  terrible  experience  we  have  since  had — with  the  facts 
of  all  the  villainies,  rascality,  and  inhumanity  of  the  leaders 
of  the  late  rebellion  still  fresh  in  our  memories,  it  is  hardly 
possible  to  read  and  believe  that  all  the  charges  he  then  made 
and  sustained  against  the  Democratic  party  were  true.  But 
such  they  were.  No  one  dared  to  dispute  them  then,  none 
will  dare  do  so  now.  This  speech,  delivered  by  one  of  the 


368  LIFE   OF    COLFAX. 

youngest  members  of  the  House,  became  the  principal 
Presidential  campaign  document  of  the  contest  of  that  year. 
Over  one-half  million  copies  of  it  were  printed  in  Washing 
ton,  Philadelphia,  and  New  York,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
wide  circulation  it  received  through  the  columns  of  the  Re 
publican  press  of  the  country.  Such  a  compliment  we  be 
lieve  was  never  before  paid  to  any  member  of  Congress — 
certainly  not  to  the  maiden  speech  of  one  of  the  youngest 
members  of  the  House. 

He  was  appointed  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Post- 
offices  and  Post-roads  on  the  organization  of  the  Thirty- 
seventh  Congress,  and  did  much  to  extend  mail  facilities 
throughout  the  West.  He  was  one  of  the  first  advocates, 
and  is  still  one  of  the  warmest  friends^  of  the  Pacific  Rail 
road.  Indeed,  he  takes  a  warm  interest  in  any  movement 
looking  to  the  development  of  the  boundless  resources  of 
the  great  West. 

Into  the  Presidential  contest  of  1856,  the  first  of  the 
Republican  party,  Mr.  Colfax  entered  with  all  his  zeal  and 
enthusiasm.  The  banner  of  Fremont  and  Dayton  was 
borne  aloft  in  his  paper,  and  his  eloquent  appeals  in  its  be 
half  rang  through  all  the  States  of  the  West.  Victory  was 
perhaps  hardly  to  be  expected  for  a  new  party  at  its  first 
trial,  but  never  was  a  fight  more  gallantly  conducted. 

The  people  of  Northern  Indiana  knew  and  honored  tho 
talents  and  worth  of  their  representative.  By  that  person 
al  magnetism  which  he  possesses  in  larger  measure  than 
most  men,  he  had  drawn  all  hearts  to  him,  and  although 
the  political  causes  which  had  aided  him  in  1854  no  longer 
existed,  the  people  still  adhered  to  him,  and  in  1856  re 
turned  him  to  Congress  by  over  one  thousand  majority. 
Perhaps  the  only  cause  of  complaint  Mr.  Colfax  has  against 
his  district  is  the  continual  majorities  that  have  expelled 
him  east  of  the  mountains.  Never  for  one  moment  has  the 


LIFE   OF    COLFAX.  369 

confidence  of  the  people  in  him  flagged,  and  from  1855  to 
the  present  time  they  have  cheerfully  given  him  their  votes. 
In  1860,  he  received  thirty-four  hundred  more  votes  than 
his  competitor,  and  in  1866,  nearly  twenty-two  hundred 
more. 

He  was  elected  Speaker  of  the  Thirty-eighth  Congress  in 
1863,  by  a  vote  of  101  to  81,  and  has  been  reflected  Speak 
er  of  the  Thirty-ninth  and  Fortieth.  He  was  urged,  but 
he  declined,  to  accept  a  seat  in  the  United  States  Senate, 
preferring  his  presiding  chair  in  the  House.  For  fourteen 
years  he  has  been  prominently  identified  with  nearly  every 
Republican  measure  in  Congress,  and  during  the  war,  was 
one  of  the  best  friends  the  soldiers  had  at  the  capital. 
Every  bill  for  men  and  money  received  his  active  support, 
and  he  gave  liberally  from  his  private  means  to  the  Chris 
tian  Commission  and  hospital  funds  for  the  comfort  and  re 
lief  of  the  sick.  To  our  knowledge,  at  one  time  Mr.  Colfax 
donated  $100,  and  at  another  time,  all  his  mileage,  amount 
ing  to  over  $500. 

Mr.  Colfax's  position  as  presiding  officer  of  the  House 
has  prevented  him  from  obtaining  that  distinction  as  an  or 
ator  he  would  otherwise  have  done,  but  it  is  only  justice  to 
say  that  during  the  short  time  he  was  on  the  floor,  his  great 
powers  as  a  debater,  his  strong,  clear,  common  sense,  quick 
intuition,  and  devotion  to  the  best  interests  of  his  country, 
made  him  so  valuable  a  business  member  of  the  House  of  Rep 
resentatives  that  he  was  early  placed  on  important  committees. 
If  he  had  remained  on  the  floor  there  can  be  little  doubt 
but  that  he  would  have  become  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
business  men  of  the  body,  arid  have  been  constantly  kept  at 
the  head  of  the  leading  committees. 

His  views,  in  1856,  on  many  of  the  great  national  enter 
prises  have  since  been  adopted,  and  none  more  particularly 
than  those  regarding  the  pacific  Railroad,  which  he  declared 
24 


370  LIFE    OF   COLFAX. 

then  was  "a  most  important  measure,  not  only  for  the  pros 
perity  of  the  nation,  but  as  a  means  of  binding  together  the 
distant  sections  of  our  great  Republic." 

Mr.  Colfax  plunged  into  the  campaign  of  1860  with 
all  his  energy.  Mr.  Lincoln  had  been  from  the  first  his 
favorite  as  a  candidate,  and  he  had  foreshadowed  his 
nomination,  months  before  it  occurred,  in  his  paper. 
There  were  many  points  of  resemblance  in  the  characters 
of  the  two  men,  and  Colfax's  heart  warmed  toward  him  as 
toward  a  brother.  Hardly  any  man  in  the  United  States 
did  so  much  to  secure  the  election  of  Mr.  Lincoln  as  this 
Western  editor,  and  this  from  pure  love,  and  not  from  any 
hope  or  desire  of  reward.  Mr.  Colfax  could  have  had,  if 
he  had  sought  it,  a  place  in  Mr.  Lincoln's  Cabinet,  as  he 
always  had  (a  very  warm  one)  in  his  heart;  but  he  preferred 
to  remain  in  Congress,  and  during  the  whole  period  of  the 
war  he  was  a  bosom  friend  and  a  trusted  adviser  of  the 
President.  In  his  sound  sense,  his  practical  view  of  mat 
ters,  and  his  freedom  from  hobbies,  Mr.  Lincoln  could  con 
fide,  with  the  assurance  that  his  counsels  would  never  lead 
him  astray. 

Hopeful,  even  in  the  darkest  hours,  and  ever  ready  to 
cheer  and  encourage  the  drooping  spirits  of  those  whose 
duller  vision  could  not  pierce  the  cloud-rack  and  see  the 
clear  heavens  beyond,  his  presence  and  influence  were  in 
valuable  in  the  murky  and  treason-tainted  atmosphere  of 
the  capital. 

In  1862,  when  Mr.  Colfax's  fourth  term  in  Congress  was 
about  to  expire,  the  people  were  greatly  depressed  by  the 
disasters  that  had  befell  the  army.  Many  thought  that  the 
enthusiasm  of  the  people  was  gone,  and  that  at  the  corning 
elections  the  party  in  power  would  not  be  sustained.  Hast 
ening  home  to  his  district,  Colfax  took  the  rostrum  and 
passed  rapidly  around  among  his  people  like  a  military 


LIFE    OF    COLFAX.  371 

evangel,  pleading  for  freedom,  for  the  country,  and  for  the 
army,  forgetful  of  self,  and  solicitous  only  to  recruit  our 
thinned  lines  of  battle.  Friends,  believing  that  his  reelec 
tion  was  more  valuable  to  the  cause  than  a  few  Indiana  Vol 
unteers  could  be  to  the  army,  almost  sharply  remonstrated 
against  a  course  which,  they  thought,  would  secure  his 
undeserved  defeat.  The  characteristic  reply,  unstudied  for 
effect,  because  made  in  private,  was  that  he  preferred  that 
he,  not  our  brave  soldiers,  should  be  in  the  minority, 
and  that  recruiting  should  go  briskly  and  immediately  for 
ward. 

We  repeat,  no  man  in  Washington  was  more  trusted  or 
beloved  by  Mr.  Lincoln  than  Colfax,  and  often  when  har 
assed  by  hasty  friends  or  misrepresented  by  virulent  ene 
mies,  the  good  President  would  appeal  to  the  young  states 
man  for  advice.  The  friendship  existing  between  them 
continued  up  to  that  sad  night  when  the  ball  of  the  assassin 
robbed  the  country  o£  its  beloved  ruler.  Colfax  was  with 
Mr.  Lincoln  in  his  last  moments,  and  was  one  of  the  heart- 
stricken  little  band  that  knelt  around  the  bed  of  the  dying 
martyr. 

Mr.  Colfax  has  been  more  honored  by  his  fellow-members 
than  any  man  who  ever  was  in  Congress  except  Henry  Clay ; 
and  it  is  the  testimony  of  members  of  all  parties,  that  he  is 
the  best  presiding  officer  the  House  has  had  since  Henry 
Clay,  and  in  some  particulars  he  excels  even  Mr.  Clay.  lie 
is  always  genial  and  courteous,  never  betrayed  into  impa 
tience  or  vexation,  and  his  marvelous  quickness  of  thought, 
thorough  knowledge  of  parliamentary  usage,  and  talent  for 
the  rapid  administration  of  details,  and,  above  all,  his  extra 
ordinary  tact,  enable  him  to  control  the  House  of  Repre 
sentatives,  even  in  its  most  boisterous  moods,  with  the  skill 
and  grace  with  which  an  accomplished  pilot  would  manage 
the  helm  of  one  of  our  palace  steamers  on  the  Hudson.  Ho 


372  LIFE    OF    COLFAX. 

is  never  at  a  fault  in  deciding  a  question  of  order,  however 
delicate  or  difficult,  and  the  whole  array  of  precedents  are 
at  his  command.  Very  seldom  indeed  are  his  decisions 
overruled,  and  in  the  rare  cases  in  which  they  have  been, 
the  House  have  generally  found  that  they,  and  not  he,  were 
in  the  wrong.  It  has  been  said  that  his  talents  were  ad 
ministrative  and  executive,  rather  than  deliberative.  While 
this  is  in  itself  high  praise,  we  are  inclined  to  doubt  its 
entire  truth.  He  does  possess  great  executive  ability,  and 
inherits  from  his  mother  that  faculty  of  rapid  intuition, 
which  has  been  very  properly  denominated  "mother  wit;" 
but  he  has  also  given  indications  of  the  possession  of  high 
reasoning  and  deliberative  faculties,  and  both  his  editorials 
and  speeches  give  evidence  of  fine  logical  as  well  as  rhetor 
ical  power. 

He  possesses,  in  a  remarkable  degree,  the  power  of  read 
ing  character,  and  when  called  upon  to  select  men  for 
special  duties  he  will  not  make  mistakes.  While  a  radical 
in  his  political  views,  he  is  still  cautious,  but  will  still  faith 
fully  execute  the  will  of  the  people.  His  mind  is  well  bal 
anced,  no  undue  predominance  of  any  faculty  being  observ 
able,  but  all  uniting  in  such  proportions  as  to  make  a  sound, 
healthy-minded,  judicious  man;  one  who  will  not  be  a  seer, 
far  in  advance  of  his  age,  nor  a  conservative,  lagging  in  the 
rear  of  it,  but  an  able  leader,  to  whose  position  the  whole 
host  of  patriots  will  rally,  and  whose  views  will  meet  with  a 
hearty  response  from  all  lovers  of  their  country.* 

*  NOTE.— I  am  indebted  to  Dr.  L.  P.  Brockett,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y., 
the  accomplished  author  of  "  Men  of  our  Times,"  for  much  of  the  in 
formation  contained  in  my  sketch  of  Mr.  Colfax. — AUTHOR. 


LIFE   OF   COLFAX.  873 


CHAPTER    III. 

PERSONAL  MANNERS  OF  MR.  COLFAX — WHY  THE  WOMEN  LIKE  HIM — HIS 
WIFE — MR.  COLFAX  AT  HOME — HIS  RECEPTIONS — WHY  THEY  ARE  POPU 
LAR COLFAX  AND  HIS  MOTHER A  GOOD  SON GRANT  AND  COLFAX 

EARLY    STRUGGLES    AND    POVERTY    OF    COLFAX SUPPER    TO    HIM    BY   THE 

PRESS    OF    WASHINGTON HIS    REMARKS— COLFAX   AS    A    POLITICIAN — HIS 

TALENTS— GRANT    SAFE    FROM    ASSASSINATION    IF    COLFAX    IS    VICE-PRESI 
DENT— COLFAX's  SPEECHES HIS  PIETY COLFAX  AT  SOUTH  BEND — WHAT 

HIS    NEIGHBORS    THINK  OF  HIM A    TEMPERANCE    MAN — HIS    LIBERALITY 

AND    SUPPORT    OF    GOOD    CAUSES — PERSONAL    APPEARANCE — ANECDOTE 

COLFAX  IN   HIS  OFFICE HIS  RECORD. 

MR.  COLFAX  is  a  polite  man,  but  not  proudly  or  haughtily 
so.  He  is  genial  and  gentle  from  the  necessities  of  his 
nature.  The  gentleman,  in  his  case,  as  in  all  others,  is  not 
of  necessity  he  who  was  gentle-born,  but  he  who  possesses  a 
truly  gentle  nature.  There  are  heart  and  kindness  in  his 
civility.  Men  leave  his  presence  with  the  feeling  that  they 
have  been  with  a  good,  kind,  able,  and  honest  man.  Politi 
cal  opponents  like  him  personally,  as  well  as  his  political 
friends.  The  breath  of  slander  has  been  silent  toward  his 
fair,  spotless  fame.  Socially  he  is  frank,  lively,  jolly.  It 
may  be  that  he  feels  his  oats  in  some  degree,  but  dignity 
hasn't  spoiled  him.  The  everlasting  I-hood  and  Us-ness 
of  great  men  is  forgotten  in  his  presence.  His  manners 
are  not  quite  so  familiar  as  those  of  Lincoln,  but  nearly 
so.  They  are  natural,  graceful,  with  a  bird-like  or  busi 
ness-like  quickness  of  thought  and  motion.  But  they  are 
very  far  from  the  high  and  mighty  style  of  Sumner,  or  the 


374  LIFE    OF    COLFAX. 

judicial  coldness  of  Fessenden,  Sherman,  and  Trumbull. 
American  mothers  believe  in  Schuyler  Colfax.  There  are 
more  babies  named  for  him  than  for  any  public  man  since 
Clay.  But  not  only  American  mothers  believe  in  him,  but 
he  is  a  favorite  with  all  good  women ;  not  only  because  he 
says  very  pleasant  things  to  them,  nor  because  he  grew 
into  manhood  revering  womanhood,  through  a  good  mother, 
wife,  and  sister ;  but  because  all  true  women  know  intui 
tively  that  he  is  a  true  man,  holding  his  soul  blameless  in 
honor.  To  believe  is  a  necessity  of  women,  at  least  of  a 
good  woman.  If  she  has  unshaken  faith  in  you,  in  the 
purity  of  your  purpose,  in  the  loftiness  of  your  character, 
you  may  wound  her  with  a  thousand  faults,  yet  to  her 
uplifted  eyes  the  nimbus  of  the  god  will  hover  about  you 
still.  "  Do  you  think  Schuyler  Colfax  a  great  man  ?"  asked 
a  gentleman  of  a  lady,  while  listening  to  Mr.  C.'s  last  speech 
in  Cooper  Institute.  "I  never  think  to  inquire,"  was  the 
reply ;  "  because  I  know  him  to  be  what  the  country  needs 
much  more  just  now — a  true  man,  through  and  through." 
"  You  can  not  think  him  as  great  as  Chase  ?"  "  Intellec 
tually  !  No.  Morally  he  is  greater.  He  is  incapable  of 
doing  what  Chase  did  for  the  sake  of  the  presidency.  He 
could  not  plan  for  the  defeat  of  a  friend,  as  Chase  planned 
against  Lincoln."  We  heard  a  lady  say,  not  long  since, 
"If  the  American  women  could  vote,  Schuyler  Colfax 
would  be  the  next  President."  If  this  be  true,  it  is  very 
much  to  his  credit,  for  we  all  know  that  those  public  men 
who  are  believed  in  and  supported  by  the  best  women,  are 
the  men  who  are  supported  and  believed  in  by  the  best 
men.  We  know,  also,  that  the  most  illustrious  men  of  all 
ages  and  nations  have  drawn  their  highest  inspiration  and 
best  success  from  the  friendship  and  devotion  of  women. 

But  not  only  do   the  women  believe  in  Colfax,  but  he 
believes  in  them.     When  a  mere  boy  he  learned  to  love  one 


LIFE   OF   COLFAX.  375 

of  his  little  playmates,  and  when  only  twenty-one  married 
her.  She  was  a  good  woman — pure,  kind-hearted,  lovely  in 
person  and  disposition.  With  this  devoted  woman  Mr. 
Colfax  lived  happily,  surrounded  by  his  mother,  sisters,  and 
friends,  until  1863,  when  his  wife  sickened  and  died,  leaving 
him  childless.  He  never  married  again,  and  probably  never 
will.  There  are  no  doubt  many  good  and  beautiful  women 
in  the  United  States,  who  would  feel  honored  by  the 
society  of  such  a  man,  and  would  be  willing  to  take  upon 
themselves,  at  the  holy  fount,  the  name  of  Schuyler  Colfax, 
but  we  doubt  if  he  ever  marries  again.  His  heart  lies 
buried  in  the  grave  with  the  choice  of  his  youth,  and  for 
years  past  he  has  devoted  himself  entirely  to  the  care  of 
his  mother  and  sisters.  No  more  devoted  brother  or  dutiful 
son  ever  lived  than  Schuyler  Colfax,  and  those  who  have 
attended  his  brilliant  receptions  have  not  failed  to  notice  his 
kind  and  affectionate  treatment  of  his  mother  and  sisters. 
People  have  wondered  why. Mr.  Colfax's  receptions  were 
the  most  popular  in  Washington,  but  they  need  not  go  far 
to  find  out  the  cause,  for  they  are  the  most  home-like. 
There  is  heart,  geniality,  freedom,  hospitality,  welcome  in 
them  such  as  is  not  to  be  found  elsewhere.  They  are  the 
people's  receptions,  and  as  the  Speaker  enters  all  smiles, 
with  his  old  mother  on  one  arm  and  his  sister  Carrie  on 
the  other,  every  one  present  feels  at  home,  and,  instead  of 
formalities,  there  is  an  evening  of  real  enjoyment.  There 
is  a  style  about  the  Speaker's  home  which  reminds  one  of 
the  log-cabins  of  the  West,  with  their  wide  chimnies  and 
big  roaring  fires,  where  every  traveler  who  pusses  that  way 
is  welcome.  Nothing  can  exceed  the  chivalrous  gallantry 
of  the  Speaker  to  his  mother,  his  cherished  companion  from 
childhood.  When  she  enters  the  gallery  of  the  House,  Mr. 
Colfax  at  once  calls  some  member  of  the  House  to  the 
Speaker's  chair,  and  hastens  to  her,  remaining,  if  possible, 


376  LIFE    OF    COLFAX. 

with  her  during  the  whole  time  she  continues  at  the  Hall 
of  Representatives. 

It  is  curious  how  destiny  snatches  her  darlings  from  the 
arms  of  obscurity,  and,  mocking  at  birth  and  degree,  sets 
them  in  the  world's  highest  places.  Scarcely  a  name  has 
burst  upon  the  world  in  transcendent  luster  that  did  not  at 
the  first  emerge  from  the  heavy  cloud  of  defeat  and  humili 
ation. 

Not  many  years  ago  the  well-paid,  little-to-do  officers  of 
the  United  States  army  used  to  cross  the  street  to  avoid 
meeting  a  young  ex-captain,  turned  farmer,  because  he 
"bored"  them  by  asking  them  to  use  their  influence  to 
assist  him  in  obtaining  a  position.  To-day  no  officer,  what 
ever  his  rank,  would  be  greatly  bored  by  a  conversation 
with  this  same  ex-captain,  nor  very  likely  to  cross  the  street 
to  avoid  meeting  the  General  of  all  the  armies,  the  certain- 
to-be  President  of  the  United  States.  Less  than  ten  years 
ago  the  people  of  America  had  never  heard  of  Ulysses 
Grant,  lie  was  poor,  he  was  disappointed.  He  had 
neither  social  position  nor  political  influence.  Though  he 
lived  but  a  few  doors  away,  he  had  never  even  spoken  to 
Elihu  Washburne,  the  brave  congressman  who  afterward 
fought  his  battles  through  all  defeat,  and  who  washed  his 
escutcheon  white  of  blame  long  before  Grant  himself  could 
lift  it  into  the  keen  sunlight  of  renown. 

Fifteen  years  ago  a  young  man  sat  in  a  little  office  in  a 
small  town  of  the  West,  clipping  and  writing  for  the 
columns  of  an  obscure  newspaper.  lie  could  boast  of  brave 
blood  and  an  honorable  lineage,  but  the  world  did  not  know 
it.  His  name  was  historic  by  right  of  birth ;  yet,  beyond 
the  narrow  arc  of  a  few  counties,  no  one  had  ever  heard 
of  him.  Nature  had  not  stinted  his  birthright.  Adversity 
had  trained  him  for  life.  He  entered  the  service  of  his 
generation  with  a  sunny  courage,  an  endless  patience,  a 


LIFE    OP   COLFAX.  877 

clear  head,  and  a  true  heart.  One  has  said  profoundly, 
"Temperament  is  greater  than  all."  Temperament  is  fate. 
Not  one  of  us  is  more  nor  less  than  our  temperament  makes 
us.  Schuyler  Colfax  has  the  temperament  of  success.  He 
began  his  career  with  an  honorable  ambition  and  dauntless 
faith  in  the  future.  Yet,  through  all  the  dreaming  of  youth, 
it  is  doubtful  if  the  "  narrow  walls"  of  the  newspaper  office 
"  stretched  away  in  stately  halls "  of  the  capitol  of  the 
nation,  or  that  he  beheld  himself  the  third  in  rank  in  the 
government  of  his  country,  and  within  less  than  twenty 
years  presented  by  the  most  powerful  of  parties  for  the 
second  office  in  the  gift  of  his  fellow-citizens. 

Great,  however,  as  has  been  Mr.  Colfax's  success  in  life, 
he  never  forgets,  he  remembers  rather  with  peculiar 
tenacity,  the  humble  circumstances  of  his  early  years,  and 
honors,  with  peculiar  love,  those  sons  of  toilj  who,  like 
himself,  have,  by  diligent  struggle  and  earnest  endeavor, 
wrought  their  way  up  to  a  higher  and  more  extended  sphere 
of  action. 

A  very  pleasant  illustration  of  this  is  contained  in  a  speech 
wrhich  he  delivered  at  a  dinner  given  him  by  the  represen 
tatives  of  the  press,  in  December,  1866,  at  which  the  presid 
ing  officer,  Samuel  Wilkeson,  Esq.,  had  alluded  to  his  pass 
ing  his  office  at  midnight  eighteen  years  before,  while  wait 
ing  for  the  change  of  horses  in  the  stage,  and  having  seen 
him  busily  at  work.  Mr.  Colfax  replied  as^follows : 

"I  have  had  to  listen  to-night  to  a  eulogy  from  your  dis 
tinguished  chairman,  of  which  I  can  only  wish  I  was  worthy. 
What  he  has  said  has  called  back  to  my  mind  what  is  often 
before  it,  the  years  of  my  early  manhood — and  I  see  a  friend 
seated  at  this  table  (Mr.  Defrees)  who  knows  much  of  it  about 
as  well  as  myself — when,  struggling  against  poverty  and  ad 
verse  fortune,  sometimes  I  sought  in  the  profession  to  which 
you  have  devoted  yourself,  to  earn  an  honest  livelihood  for 


378  LIFE   OF    COLFAX. 

myself  and  family,  and  a  position,  humble,  but  not  dishonored, 
among  the  newspaper  men  of  America.  I  can  not  remem 
ber  the  exact  evening  to  which  he  alludes,  when,  eighteen 
years  ago,  a  stranger  then,  as  I  am  glad  he  is  not  now,  he 
saw  me  through  a  window  in  my  office,  with  the  midnight 
lamp  before  me,  and  heard  the  commentary  on  my  life  from 
the  lips  of  some  too  partial  friend  among  those  who  from 
my  boyhood  had  surrounded  me  with  so  much  kindness  arid 
attention.  But  well  do  I  remember,  in  the  early  history  of 
the  newspaper  that  numbered  but  two  hundred  and  fifty 
subscribers  when  I  established  it,  I  was  often  compelled  to 
labor  far  into  the  hours  of  the  night.  And  little  did  I  dream, 
at  that  time,  I  was  ever  to  be  a  member  of  the  American 
Congress ;  and  far  less  that  I  was  to  be  the  recipient  of  the 
honor  whose  conferment  you  commemorate  and  indorse  to 
night.  I  can  say  of  that  paper  that  its  columns,  from,  its  very 
first  number,  will  bear  testimony  to-day  that  in  all  the  polit 
ical  canvasses  in  which  I  was  engaged,  I  never  avoided  a 
frank  and  out-spoken  expression  of  opinion  on  any  question 
before  the  American  people;  and  that,  as  these  opinions 
had  always  been  honestly  entertained,  could  not  have  hesi 
tated  to  frankly  and  manfully  avow  them.  Though  the  effect 
of  these  avowals  was,  from  the  political  complexion  of  the 
district  and  the  State,  to  keep  me  in  a  minority,  the  people 
among  whom  I  live  will  bear  testimony  that  I  was  no  less 
faithful  to  them  then  than  I  have  been  when,  in  later  years, 
that  minority  has,  by  the  course  of  events,  been  changed  into 
a  majority." 

In  the  course  of  this  speech,  he  uttered  the  following 
noble  thoughts  in  regard  to  the  vocation  of  the  editor,  a 
vocation  which  he  continued  to  honor  by  his  own  participa 
tion  in  it  until  his  assumption  of  the  Speaker's  chair.  Were 
these  views  more  prevalent,  journalism  would  be  a  far  great 
er  blessing  to  the  nation  and  the  world  than  it  now  is : 


LIFE    OF   COLFAX.  379 

"Next  to  the  sacred  desk,  and  those  who  minister  in  it, 
there  is  no  profession  more  responsible  than  yours.  The 
editor  can  not  wait,  like  the  politician,  to  see  the  set  of  the 
tide,  but  is  required,  as  new  necessities  arise,  not  only  to 
avow  at  once  his  sentiments  upon  them,  but  to  discuss  them 
intelligently  and  instructively.  It  is  also  his  duty  to  guide 
and  protect  public  opinion  in  the  proper  channels,  arid  to 
lay  before  the  readers  of  his  sheet  such  matter  as  shall  tend 
to  the  elevation  of  their  character.  I  have  sometimes 
thought  that  newspapers  in  their  sphere  might  be  compared 
to  that  exquisite  mechanism  of  the  universe  whereby  the 
moisture  is  lifted  from  the  earth,  condensed  into  clouds, 
and  poured  back  again  in  refreshing  and  fertilizing  showers 
to  bless  the  husbandman  and  produce  the  abundant  harvests. 
So,  with  the  representatives  of  the  press,  they  draw  from 
public  opinion,  condense  public  opinion,  arid  finally  reflect 
and  re-distribute  it  back  again  in  turn  to  its  elevation  and 
purification." 

Sclmyler  Colfax  is  a  politician  in  the  highest  sense  of 
that  much-abused  term,  for  the  best  years  of  his  active 
manhood  have  been  devoted  to  the  study  of  political  science, 
and  the  administration  of  public  affairs.  Believing  in  the 
people,  he  has  endeavored  to  faithfully  carry  out  their  will. 
He  is,  perhaps,  to-day,  the  fittest  man  to  fill  the  Vice- 
President's  office,  because  ne  is,  in  the  largest  sense,  a 
representative  American.  Of  the  people,  and  with  the  peo 
ple,  it  is  impossible  for  him  to  be  purely  sectional  in  his 
sympathies  or  in  his  ideas  of  legislation.  He  has  greater 
personal  familiarity  with  the  resources  and  interests  of  the 
whole  country  than  any  other  public  man,  having  traveled 
in  every  State  from  Oregon  to  Maine,  hailed  every-where 
by  the  masses  of  the  people  as  a  beloved  friend. 

Some  one  has  said  that  he  has  "no  eccentricities,  but 
great  tact,  and  his  talents  are  rather  administrative  and 


380  LIFE    OF   COLFAX. 

executive  than  deliberative."  That  is  true  so  far  as  it  en 
ables  him  to  make  good  appointments,  and  adopt  sure  poli 
cies.  He  would  make  a  better  President,  or  Speaker  of 
the  House,  than  Senator.  He  knows  men  well,  estimates 
them  correctly,  treats  them  all  fairly  and  candidly.  No 
man  will  get  through  his  business  with  you  in  fewer  min 
utes,  and  yet  none  is  more  free  from  the  horrid  brusque?iess 
of  busy  men. 

If  the  experience  of  past  years  has  proved  the  ne 
cessity  of  selecting,  for  the  second  executive  of  the  govern 
ment,  a  man  who  will  be  true  to  the  platform  and  prin 
ciples  of  his  party  and  the  people  who  elect  him,  then 
Colfax  is  the  right  man,  for  should  any  thing  happen  to 
Grant,  it  would  not  change  the  policy  of  the  administration, 
unless  to  make  it  more  radical.  Rebels  who  know  Schuyler 
Colfax  will  never  kill  Ulysses  Grant,  in  order  to  have  the 
former  become  President. 

Of  Mr.  Colfax's  speeches,  it  may  be  said  that  they  are 
clear  arid  convincing,  with  a  vein  of  dignity  and  piety  run 
ning  through  all  their  sentences.  Thus  he  said  to  the  Thirty- 
eighth  Congress:  "I  invoke  you  to  remember  that  sacred 
truth  which  all  history  verifies,  that  'they  who  rule  not  in 
righteousness  shall  perish  from  the  earth;'"  and  again: 
"  The  Creator  is  leading  us  in  his  own  way  rather  than  our 
own.  He  has  put  all  men  on  an  equality  before  Divine  law, 
and  demands  that  we  shall  put  all  men  upon  the  same  equal 
ity  before  human  law;"  or  again,  "Honesty  to  principle  is 
our  highest  duty,  and  I  would  rather  sacrifice  my  life  than 
betray  the  people." 

Thus  he  said  of  the  employment  of  negro  troops:  "I  do 
not  call  negro  soldiers  better  than  white  ones.  If  I  were  to 
express  my  own  opinion,  it  would  be  that  those  of  my  own 
color  are  better  and  braver.  For  I  have  always  told  you,  in 
spite  of  charges  to  the  contrary,  that  I  believe  the  Anglo- 


LIFE    OF   COLFAX.  381 

Saxon  race  was  superior  to  any  other  that  walks  the  foot 
stool  of  God." 

So  he  said  of  moral  faithfulness  in  legislation:  "  Whether 
traveling  in  the  valley  of  humiliation  or  disaster,  or  keeping 
my  eye  fixed  on  the  heavens,  I  believe  God  reigns.  I  do  n't 
believe  his  blessings  will  fall  on  the  Confederacy.  God's 
ways  are  sometimes  dark,  but  sooner  or  later  they  reach  the 
shining  hills  of  day." 

He  first  announced  the  Republican  platform,  after  the 
breach  with  Mr.  Johnson,  thus  :  "  Let  us  make  haste  slowly, 
and  we  can  then  hope  that  the  foundations  of  our  govern 
ment,  when  thus  reconstructed  on  the  basis  of  indisputable 
loyalty,  will  be  as  eternal  as  the  stars." 

In  like  manner,  on  April  10,  1866,  when  he  made  mild 
but  manly  issue  with  Johnson,  he  said  of  the  Civil  Rights 
Bill,  in  the  first  moment  of  its  enactment:  "That  law,  mis 
represented  as  it  has  been  by  its  opponents  in  Congress,  will 
never  be  .repealed,  and  in  the  years  that  are  coming,  it  will 
be  the  proudest  recollection  and  the  crowning  honor  of  those 
men  who  stood  up  in  the  national  councils,  that  they  gave 
to  that  American  Magna  Charta  their  cordial  support." 

He  treated  in  this  way  a  taunt  of  the  Democracy:  '"The 
new  nickname  flung  at  us  is  'Radicals.'  I  had  rather  be 
called  a  radical  than  a  rebel,  at  any  time.  I  am  a  radical 
for  right  against  wrong ;  for  liberty  against  slavery ;  for 
justice  against  tyranny — a  radical  friend  of  my  country  and 
a  radical  enemy  of  every  hater  of  my  native  land.  I  be 
lieve  in  a  radical  government  of  the  people,  by  the  people, 
the  world  over,  and  my  sympathies  go  out  toward  the 
radicals  who  are  trying  to  imitate  our  free  institutions  in 
Greece,  Italy,  France,  Ireland,  and  Mexico.  I  wish  to  see 
a  belt  of  republics  encircle  the  globe." 

Here  is  another  curt  passage  :  "  I  am  for  leveling  up  rath- 


382  LIFE   OF   COLFAX. 

er  than  leveling  down.     God  do  so  to  me,  and  more  also,  if 
I  do  aught  more  to  crush  any  man  down  lower." 

In  short,  this  is  Mr.  Colfax,  as  described  in  the  words  of 
his  pastor  and  poet  at  South  Bend,  his  home : 

"Thou  art  the  clear, 
Persuasive  orator  of  right;  the  pure, 
Unsullied  patriot;  the  changeless,  sure, 
And  genial  friend,  to  many  hearts  how  dear." 

But  after  all,  his  oratory  is  more  of  the  fervent  and  florid 
style  than  argumentative ;  he  is  always  interesting  and  enter 
taining,  and  never  speaks  but  he  instructs  his  hearers,  for 
he  is  a  close  student,  and  thoroughly  studies  his  subjects! 
He  is  earnest  and  positive  without  being  bitter ;  never  in 
one  of  his  speeches  has  he  used  the  word  copperhead.  He 
speaks  strongly  of  the  acts  and  principles  of  the  opposition, 
but  never  applies  to  them  any  abusive  terms.  This  habit 
has  been  of  great  service  to  him,  and  it  frequently  has 
happened  that  men  who  one  year  were  opposed  to  him,  the 
next  were  found  supporting  him. 

Some  one  has  said  that  no  one  ever  hated  Mr. '  Colfax, 
and  that  he  never  had  an  enemy.  That  is  not  so;  if  it 
were  true  he-  were  not  worth  writing  about,  but  we  happen 
to  know  a  man  who  hates  him  most  cordially,  and,  there 
fore,  he  stands  acquitted  of  the  woe  pronounced  on  those 
of  whom  all  men  speak  well.  Still  we  confess  Colfax  is 
alarmingly  popular  for  a  man  of  brains  and  principle,  and 
we  wish  the  Democrats  would  curse  him  a  little  more 
frequently. 

The  home  test  is  a  severe  one  for  most  men.  It  is  said 
"a  prophet  is  not  without  honor  save  in  his  own  country;" 
but  Colfax  is  popular  even  at  home,  if  we  may  judge  from 
the  manner  in  which  he  is  received  when  he  goes  to  South 
Bend.  Thus,  in  1866,  when  he  returned  from  Washington, 
he  was  greeted  in  good,  old-fashioned  Hoosier  style  by 


LIFE   OF   COLFAX.  383 

earnest,  loyal,  political  and  personal  friends.  These,  with 
heart-felt  unanimity,  seemed  to  share  a  common  spirit  of 
enthusiasm.  When  the  morning  train  reached  Laporte  arid 
South  Bend,  crowds  were  in  waiting.  At  the  depot  of  the 
latter  place  were  old  patriarchs  who  knew  our  "boy 
Schuyler,"  middle-aged  men  whom  he  had  gracefully  dis 
tanced  in  the  race  of  life,  and  wondering  children,  to  whom 
this  was  a  holiday,  attending  carriages,  wagons,  nondescript 
vehicles  of  all  sorts;  flags,  banners,  and  bands  playing 
"Home,  Sweet  Home,"  all  in  waiting  to  honor  the  return 
of  a  distinguished  yet  simple-hearted  citizen.  Descending 
from  the  railway  platform,  Mr.  Colfax  was  almost  literally 
carried  by  the  arms  to  an  adjoining  rostrum,  where,  in  in 
tense  silence,  the  formal  yet  sincere  and  touching  welcome 
was  pronounced  by  Judge  Wade,  formerly  colonel  of  the 
Seventy-third  Indiana  Infantry,  who,  during  the  war,  was 
by  Mr.  Colfax  delivered  from  actual  squalid  horrors  and 
impending  death  in  Libby  Prison. 

The  orator,  in  substance,  thanked  Mr.  Golfax  in  the 
name  of  his  fellow-citizens  for  the  honors  he  in  his  public 
life  had  won  for  them;  in  the  name  of  national  citizens, 
who  feel  that  he  is  a  prominent  part  of  the  trusty  bulwark 
which  shields  them  from  public  enemies;  and,  finally,  in  the 
name  of  soldiers  who  have  learned  by  experience  that  he 
was  patriotically,  unselfishly,  constantly,  and  unflaggingly 
devoted  to  their  interests. 

The  speaker  closed,  and  for  a  moment  speech  was  silent 
on  the  lips  of  the  silver-tongued  statesman,  who  hitherto 
had  gracefully  addressed  Presidents  and  Senates,  but  whose 
owner's  heart  seemed  just  then  more  ready  to  sit  down  and 
silently  weep  upon  the  threshold  of  its  home,  than  to  dic 
tate  the  words  whose  meaning  it  were  far  easier  to  feel. 
But  soon  the  ringing  sentences  began  to  flow  and  the  re 
turning  guest  to  feel  literally  at  home.  Then  the  shouts, 


384  LIFE    OF    COLFAX. 

arid  the  procession  through  the  streets,  whose  doors  and 
windows  fairly  shone  with  nodding  heads  and  bright  faces. 
For  once  in  life,  amid  all  this  unostentatious,  spontaneous 
excitement  of  that  pure  inland  town,  we  discover  a  prophet 
having  honor  and  enjoying  "  love  in  his  own  country." 

Mr.  Colfax's  personal  example  at  Washington  is  lumi 
nous.  When  twenty,  he  made  vows  of  strict  abstinence, 
which  have  never  been  broken.  Liquors  and  wines  are 
never  used  at  his  receptions,  while  Presidential  dinners  and 
diplomatic  banquets  are  utterly  powerless  to  abate  one  jot 
or  tittle  of'  his  firmness.  Many  well  remember  his  late 
speech  at  the  congressional  temperance  meeting,  and  how 
he  banished  the  sale  of  liquor  from  all  parts  of  the  Capitol 
within  his  jurisdiction. 

At  the  National  Republican  Union  Convention  at  Chicago, 
in  May,  1868,  at  which  he  was  nominated  for  the  Vice- 
Presidency,  the  canvass  for  him  was  conducted  by  his 
special  command  without  a  drop  of  any  intoxicating  liquor. 
At  the  head-quarters  of  some  of  the  other  candidates, 
strong  drink  flowed  freely,  but  Mr.  Colfax  would  have  pre 
ferred  to  lose  the  nomination,  rather  than  to  violate  his 
temperance  principles. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church,  and  loves 
to  talk  in  private  of  how  God  rules  and  how  distinctly  and 
how  often  in  our  history  his  holy  arm  has  been  revealed; 
and  the  ascription  of  praise  comes  from  a  worshiping  heart, 
reliant  on  God  through  Christ. 

lie  has  always  in  all  the  relations  of  life,  public  and  pri 
vate,  maintained  an  active  and  reputable  Christian  profes 
sion.  The  Sunday-school,  the  tract,  the  mission,  and  the 
Bible  cause,  have  all  found  in  him  an  earnest  and  cordial 
supporter;  no  matter  whether  it  has  been  the  Sanitary  Com 
mission,  the  Christian  Commission,  the  Soldiers'  Aid  Soci 
ety,  or  what  benevolent  institution  that  applied  to  him  for 


LIFE   OF   COLFAX.  385 

help,  he  has  always  given  freely  a  part  of  his  earnings ;  and 
if  an  advocate  was  needed,  his  eloquent  voice  was  immedi 
ately  lifted  up  in  the  cities  of  the  nation,  now  pleading  for 
money,  then  for  clothing,  and  still  again  for  food  comforts 
for  the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers. 

He  is  a  smoker,  and,  indeed,  indulges  in  this  filthy  habit 
almost  as  much  as  Grant.  The  following  is  told  of  the 
two  candidates :  The  Speaker  visited  General  Grant  be 
fore  the  result  of  the  vote  at  Chicago  was  known.  The 
Speaker  was  smoking  a  fine  cigar.  "Where  did  you  get 
that  cigar,  Colfax?  "  said  Grant.  "  I  get  my  cigars  of  a  man 
at  Danbury,  Connecticut;  he  makes  them  himself,"  answer 
ed  Colfax.  "Well,  that  is  one  of  the  best  cigars  I  have 
seen  in  some  time,"  said  Grant.  "  I  will  order  some." 
Thereupon  the  General  sat  down  and  wrote  to  the  Dan- 
bury  man  to  send  them  one  thousand  Colfax  cigars.  When 
he  had  sealed  the  envelope,  Colfax  said :  "  General,  let  me 
frank  that  for  you."  "Whereupon,  the  Speaker  wrote  his 
signature  on  Grant's  letter  to  the  man  at  Danbury. 

George  Alfred  Townsend,  who  visited  Mr.  Colfax  not 
long  ago,  writes  thus  pleasantly  about  him : 

"I  found  him  in  what  he  called  4  his  den,'  a  little  closet- 
room,  lighted  by  one  basement  window,  under  the  Capitol. 
It  was  a  curiosity-shop  of  manuscripts  and  documents,  order 
reigning  through  superficial  confusion.  Here  the  Speaker 
hides  himself  away  from  pages  and  harpies,  and  works 
.uriassistedly  at  his  speeches  and  his  correspondence,  the 
latter  of  itself  a  drudgery  as  great  and  exciting  as  any 
accountant's. 

"  But  a  light-house  never  grows  old ;  after  the  hundred 
years  its  flame  is  as  youthful  as  when  it  began.  The  pure, 
unaffected,  radiant  cheerfulness  of  Mr.  Colfax  keeps  him  as 
rosy  and  hopeful  as  a  boy.  Here  he  sits,  smoking  his 


386  LIFE    OF   COLFAX. 

cigar,  surprised  in  the  midst  of  a  smile,  for  all  his  thoughts 
are  good  companions. 

"  I  took  a  seat  before  him,  and  while  he  answered  some 
questions  I  had  brought,  I  tried  to  make  out  his  face  arid 
character — a  very  difficult  type  were  both  of  them,  for  a 
country  of  which  the  Speaker  is  so  representative,  and  yet 
of  a  temperament  so  uncommon. 

"  We  are  a  sober-minded  people,  with  lines  of  thrift  and 
anxiety  in  our  faces,  like  the  marks  of  whip  and  burden. 
We  go  to  law  and  go  to  church  with  the  same  countenances. 
We  want  to  make  money  fast,  and  on  the  way  and  after  the 
end  we  have  remorses,  aches,  wounded  self-esteems,  asceti 
cisms.  The  air,  the  soil,  the  worry,  and  the  hurry  of  Amer 
ican  life  provincialize  the  American  into  a  hard,  repellant, 
dreadfully  overearnest  man,  with  a  skin,  a  stomach,  and  a 
soul,  equally  dyspeptic. 

"Out  of  this  population  a  face  grows,  now  and  then,  like 
a  clover  head  out  of  a  stock-yard,  all  freshness  and  color, 
and  quick  to  feel  the  earliest  breezes.  This  is  Mr.  Colfax. 
His  life  is  perennial  hopefulness,  having  a  good  conscience 
for  its  compass,  and  for  its  ballast  a  temperament  that  is 
equal  as  an  hour-glass." 

There  are  some  curious  divisions  of  time  connected  with 
Mr.  Colfax's  career,  which  are  worth  mentioning.  Six 
years  after  his  first  election  to  Congress  he  was  elected 
Speaker  of  the  House.  He  has  been  thrice  elected  to  this 
position,  and  will  have  served  in  it  exactly  six  years  on  his 
accession  to  the  Vice-Presidency — stepping  from  the  third 
to  the  second  position  within  the  gift  of  the  people.  Then 
we  have,  as  the  prominent  periods  in  a  more  than  ordinarily 
successful  and  brilliant  life,  first  the  age  at  which  he  entered 
the  law  office  of  his  early  and  still  devoted  friend  (sixteen.) 
Sixteen  years  later — at  the  age  of  thirty-two — we  find  him 
in  the  American  Congress,  and  almost  immediately  rec- 


LIFE    OF    COLFAX.  387 

ogiiized  as  one  of  the  ablest  champions  of  his  party.  Six 
years  later  he  is  elected  as  presiding  officer  of  the  lower 
House,  reflected  twice,  and  at  the  end  of  his  present  term, 
which  will  constitute  six  years,  he  will  be  called  to  a  still 
higher  and  more  responsible  position. 

In  the  summer  of  1866,  in  company  with  several  friends, 
Mr.  Colfax  crossed  the  continent  by  the  overland  route,  and 
received  a  hearty  and  cordial  welcome  in  the  Pacific  States 
and  Territories,  and  increased  his  already  deep  interest  in 
the  means  of  speedy  and  rapid  communication  with  those 
portions  of  the  Republic. 

This  trip  prepared  him  for  one  of  the  most  entertaining 
lectures  ever  delivered  in  this  country.  It  has  been  listened 
to  with  rapt  attention  by  the  people  of  almost  every  city  in 
the  North.  Pecuniarily,  however,  it  has  profited  him  but 
little,  for  with  that  liberality  which  has  ever  been  a  marked 
trait  in  his  character,  the  entire  proceeds  of  a  lecture  have 
as  often  been  donated  to  some  charitable  object  as  they 
have  found  their  way  into  his  own  pocket. 

He  has  also  published  another  lecture,  on  "  The  Educa-. 
tion  of  the  Heart,"  which  has  been  widely  circulated. 

The  following  is  a  letter  written  by  the  patriot  poet 
Whittier,  to  Mr.  Colfax : 

Colfax ! — well  chosen  to  preside 
O'er  Freedom's  Congress,  and  to  guide, 
As  one  who  holds  the  reins  of  fate, 
The  current  of  its  great  debate ; 
Prompted  by  one  too  wise,  and  good, 
And  fair,  withal,  to  be  withstood, 
Here,  from  our  northern  river  banks, 
I  send  to  thee  my  hearty  thanks 
For  all  the  patience  which  has  borne 
The  weary  toot  of  Buncombe's  horn, 
The  hissing  of  the  Copperhead, 
And  Folly  dropping  ^ords  of  lead ! 


388  LIFE    OF    COLFAX. 

Still  wisely  ready  when  the  scale 
Hangs  poised  to  make  the  right  prevail, 
Still  foremost,  though  Secession's  head 
Be  crushed,  with  scornful  heel  to  tread 
The  life  out  from  its  writhing  tail! 
As  wise,  firm,  faithful  to  the  end 
God  keep  thee,  prays  thy  sincere  friend, 

JOHN  G.  WHITTIEK. 

In  personal  appearance,  Mr.  Colfax  is  rather  under  the 
medium  height,  with  form  firmly  and  compactly  molded. 
His  hair  is  brown,  now  slightly  sprinkled  with  gray;  eyes 
blue,  forehead  high  and  arching,  indicating  great  perceptive 
faculties  arid  deep  veneration.  His  face  is  open  and  frank, 
and  as  yet  unmarked  by  age.  He  possesses  great  vitality, 
and  can  endure  an  extraordinary  amount  of  labor  with  but 
little  fatigue.  This,  coupled  with  his  temperate  habits,  has 
caused  him  to  wear  his  age  so  well,  that  but  few  persons 
would  place  him  even  at  forty.  He  is  yet  in  the  prime  and 
vigor  of  manhood,  with  all  his  cares  and  responsibilities  as 
buoyant  as  most  people  at  thirty. 

His  career  in  politics  has  been  quite  as  successful  as  that 
of  his  illustrious  colleague  in  arms.  Here  is  the  aggregate 
vote  on  either  side  at  each  election : 

1851. ..Colfax 9,118  Fitch 9,356 

1854.. .Colfax 9,989  Eddy 8,223 

1856. ..Colfax 12,926  Stuart 11,890 

1858. ..Colfax 14,541  Walker 12,610 

1860. ..Colfax 16,860  Cathcart 13,458 

1862. ..Colfax 14,775  Turpie 14,546 

1864.. .Colfax 16,658  Turpie 14,978 

1866. ..Colfax 20,221  Turpie 18,073 

Thus  we  see  that  our  candidate  for  Vice-President  has 
proved  as  invincible  in  the  arena  of  intellectual  struggle  for 
liberty  and  loyalty  as  our  more  illustrious  candidate  for 
President  amid  the  stern  alarms  of  war. 


LIFE    OF    COLFAX.  389 


CHAPTER    IV. 

THE     CHICAGO     CONVENTION  —  NOMINATIONS     FOR  VICE-PRESIDENT  —  MR. 

PIERCE' s  SPEECH — MR.  CLAFLIN'S  SPEECH — HON.  HENRY  LANE'S  SPEECH 

SPEECH     OF     MR.    CUTCHESON — REMARKS    OF    FRED.    HASSAUREK,    CARL 

SCHURTZ,  JUDGE  JONES,  ALEXANDER  M'CLURE,  AND  OTHERS HONS.   BEN. 

WADE,    COLFAX,    WILSON,    FENTON,    HAMLIN,    HARLIN,    CURTIN,    POMEROY 

SPEED,   CRESWELL,  AND  KELLEY  NOMINATED  FOR  VICE-PRESIDENT FIRST 

BALLOT SECOND    BALLOT TH IRD     BALLOT FOURTH     BALLOT FIFTH 

BALLOT — COLFAX  DECLARED  THE   UNANIMOUS  NOMINEE    OF    THE   CONVEN 
TION — THE  ENTHUSIASM — ADJOURNMENT. 

IT  was  part  of  the  duty  of  the  Convention  which  assem 
bled  at  Chicago  on  the  20th  of  May,  to  nominate  a  candi 
date  for  Vice-President.  After  the  nomination  of  General 
Grant  had  been  made  known,  the  President,  General 
Hawley,  directed  the  delegations  to  name  their  candidates 
for  Vice-President.  Mr.  Pierce,  of  Virginia,  in  an  eloquent 
speech,  nominated  Hon.  Henry  Wilson,  of  Massachusetts. 
Mr.  Claflin,  chairman  of  the  Massachusetts  delegation,  in  a 
speech  highly  complimentary  to  Mr.  Wilson,  seconded  the 
motion.  The  Hon.  Henry  Lane,  a  venerable  ex-senator 
from  Indiana,  then  rose  and  said : 

"  MR.  CHAIRMAN  :  I  am  instructed  by  the  delegation  from 
the  State  of  Indiana  to  present  that  tried,  trusted,  and 
true  patriot,  Schuyler  Colfax.  [Prolonged  applause.]  Of 
the  purity  of  his  life,  in  private  and  in  public,  of  his  dis 
tinguished  public  services,  his  long  identification  with  con- 


LIFE   OF   COLFAX. 

gressional  action,  it  is  idle  and  unnecessary  that  I  should  go 
into  any  lengthy  eulogy  with  reference  to  'Mr.  Colfax.  He 
is  an  Indianian  near  to  our  hearts.  We  know  him.  The 
people  are  united  for  him,  and  I  speak  but  one  voice.  He 
is  -well  known  there.  He  is  the  choice  of  the  people,  and 
although  his  residence  is  in  Indiana,  his  fame,  thank  God, 
belongs  to  the  whole  continent.  [Tremendous  cheers.]  To 
his  past  history  I  need  but  refer  for  a  moment.  He  began 
public  service  an  orphan  boy,  with  no  inheritance  except 
those  God-endowed  gifts  which  marked  him  from  the 
beginning  a  master  and  a  leader  of  men.  [Cheers.]  He 
began  his  career  as  a  Whig  politician,  under  the  standard 
of  that  pure  and  incorruptible  patriot,  that  far-seeing  states 
man,  that  brightest  representative  of  American  character, 
that  pure  and  peerless  orator,  Henry  Clay,  of  Kentucky. 
[Cheers.]  Faithful  to  his  country,  faithful  to  his  friends, 
and  faithful  to  his  public  allegiance,  he  has  supported  every 
candidate  of  the  Whig  party  and  every  nomination  of  the 
Republican  party.  These  are  some  of  his  claims  to  your 
confidence  and  consideration.  He  has  supported  every 
measure  of  congressional  reconstruction.  With  other  dis 
tinguished  gentlemen  presented  for  the  same  office  we  have 
no  quarrel.  They  are  proud  sons  of  the  republic.  Their 
glory  is  a  part  of  our  common  inheritance.  We  shall 
make  no  disparagement.  When  you  shall  make  your 
nomination,  we  shall  be  there  to  roll  up  our  sleeves  in  his 
behalf.  [Cheers.]  I  assure  the  Convention  tho,t,  with  Mr. 
Colfax  as  our  standard-bearer,  we  shall  carry  Indiana, 
sometimes  slanderously  called,  by  evil-minded  men,  a 
doubtful  State.  [Laughter.]  We  shall  carry  Indiana.  We 
shall  triumph  in  the  election.  We  may  do  this  with  others. 
I  trust,  if  another  is  nominated,  we  shall  elect  him,  but  we 
regard  him  as  absolutely  certain.  It  is  an  auspicious  time 
to  present  a  young  man — a  man  representing  the  religious 


LIFE    OF   COLFAX.  801 

and  moral  sentiment  of  the  country  to  a  great  extent.  He 
is  the  chosen,  tried,  and  true  leader — no  doubtful  man. 
The  painful  experience  of  the  past  has  admonished  us  that 
we  must  have  no  doubtful  man  to  be  our  Yice-President. 
We  present  you  no  doubtful  man.  He  has  stood  by  recon 
struction — thank  God,  he  has  also  stood  by  impeachment. 
[Applause.]  When  the  seven  recreant  senators,  unlike  the 
seven  golden  candlesticks,  burning  in  no  Christian  temple — 
when  their  light  shall  have  been  extinguished,  or  when  they 
shall  be  only  dark  lanterns,  whose  illumination  is  only 
seen  in  places  fit  for  the  light  of  dark  lanterns.  Schuyler 
Colfax,  as  Vice-President,  or  as  Speaker,  or  as  member  of 
Congress,  will  be  found  true  to  his  principles,  true  to  the 
interest  of  the  Republican  party,  and  of  the  Union  party — 
for  they  are  synonymous — one  and  the  same.  Now,  we 
have  passed  through  the  war,  we  have  emerged  from  the 
storm  and  cloud  of  battle,  and  now  stand,  as  the  whole 
United  States,  represented,  and  properly  represented;  and 
the  Scripture  is  now  being  fulfilled,  for  we  find  Ethiopia 
striking  out  her  arms."  [Applause.] 

Mr.  Parker,  Chairman  of  the  delegation  from  New 
Jersey : 

"  MR.  PRESIDENT  :  The  Republican  Convention  of  New 
Jersey  gave  to  their  delegates  an  instruction  which  they 
have  fulfilled;  a  subsequent  resolution  upon  the  subject  of 
the  Vice-Presidency  expressly  declares  that  upon  that 
subject  no  instructions  were  given,  except  that  it  was  the 
duty  of  the  delegates  to  aim  at  the  nomination  of  the  man 
most  fit  to  occupy  the  place  of  Vice-President.  In  the 
spirit  of  that  resolution  these  delegates  are  here  to-day,  and 
I  ji rn  instructed,  as  chairman,  to  nominate  as  candidate  to 
the  office  of  Vice-President  Schuyler  Colfax,  of  Indiana. 


LIFE    OF    COLFAX. 

[Applause.]  We  nominate  him  as  a  young  man  likely,  in 
the  Providence  of  God,  to  live ;  we  nominate  him  as  a 
candidate  of  the  young  men.  [Applause.]  We  love  him 
beyond  all  others  because  of  the  kindness  of  his  heart,  the 
power  of  his  intellect.  We  nominate  him  because,  coming 
from  the  great  and  glorious  West,  we  believe  he  will  add 
splendor  to  the  galaxy  of  men  which  the  West  has  fur 
nished.  We  nominate  him  because  we  know  that  in  our 
State  we  can  live  under  his  rule.  Schuyler  Colfax  comes 
of  Jersey  blood — blood  that  has  flowed  throughout  this 
land,  and  is  always  good  arid  true.  We  nominate  him  for 
the  virtues  -which  have  been  mentioned  by  the  gentleman 
from  Indiana." 

Mr.  Cutcheson,  of  Michigan,  said : 

"MR.  PRESIDENT:  I  rise  in  behalf  of  the  electors  and 
delegates  of  the  Republican  party  of  Michigan,  to  support 
the  nomination  of  Schuyler  Colfax.  [Great  applause.]  At 
the  State  Convention,  where  the  Republican  party  of  the 
State  was  very  fully  represented,  when  the  name  of 
Schuyler  Colfax  was  proposed  there  as  a  candidate  for  the 
office  of  Vice-President,  we  witnessed  some  such  a  scene  as 
here  to-day  was  seen  when  Ulysses  S.  Grant  was  declared 
the  unanimous  nominee  of  this  Convention  for  President. 
In  Michigan  we  have  watched  the  course  of  Schuyler  Colfax, 
who  lives  just  on  the  border,  and  we  believe  there  that  no 
name  can  be  proposed  to  the  people  of  the  United  States 
for  this  high  office  that  will  excite  greater  enthusiasm ;  we 
believe  none  other  can  excite  so  great  an  enthusiasm.  In 
the  State  of  Michigan  the  name  of  Schuyler  Colfax  is 
powerful.  [Cries,  "True,"  applause,  etc.]  While  we 
pledge  the  most  hearty  support  to  any  nominee  of  this 
Convention,  we  feel  that  to  Grant  and  Schuyler  Colfax  we 


LIFE    OF    GOLF AX.  303 

can  promise  to  this  Convention,  from  the  State  of  Michigan, 
for  Grant  and  Colfax,  to  roll  up  thirty  thousand  majority. 
[Applause.]  We  have  seen  him,  how  true  he  is  to  princi 
ple,  and  how  he  has  forced  men  to  love  him  as  the  people 
all  love  the  name  of  the  man  who  gets  so  close  to  the  peo 
ple's  heart."  [Applause.] 

The  eloquent  German  orator,  Fred.  Hassaurek,  in  behalf 
of  Ohio,  then  proceeded  to  nominate  the  "old  war-horse," 
Ben.  Wade.  He  was  followed  by  General  Carl  Schurtz, 
who  ably  seconded  the  motion  on  behalf  of  the  Missouri 
delegation.  Judge  Jones,  of  North  Carolina,  followed 
General  Schurtz  in  an  earnest  speech,  urging  the  nomination 
of  Senator  Wade.  Judge  Tremain  nominated  Governor 
Ileuben  E.  Feiiton  for  New  York,  amid  great  enthusiasm, 
and  the  motion  was  seconded  by  the  Louisiana  delegation 
through  its  chairman,  Governor  Warmouth.  Mr.  Wood,  of 
Kentucky,  nominated  the  Hon.  James  Speed,  of  Louisville. 
Mr.  Sands,  of  Maryland,  nominated  Hon.  A.  J.  Creswell. 
Mr.  Forney,  of  Pennsylvania,  nominated  Hon.  Andrew  G. 
Curtin,  and  Mr.  McClure  seconded  the  motion  in  an  able 
speech.  General  Williamson  nominated  lion.  James  Harlan. 
Mr.  Seymour,  of  Wisconsin,  nominated  Hon.  Hannibal  Ham- 
lin,  and  Mr.  Shepley,  of  Maine,  seconded  the  nomination. 
Hon.  Wm.  D.  Kelley,  of  Pennsylvania,  was  nominated  by 
the  Alabama  delegation,  and  the  delegation  from  Kansas 
nominated  Senator  Pomeroy,  when  the  nominations  were 
closed,  and,  by  direction  of  the  President,  the  Secretary 
proceeded  to  call  the  roll,  with  the  following  result: 


394 


LIFE    OF    COLFAX. 


THE    BALLOT. 


STATES. 

Wilson. 

Col  fax. 

Wade. 

Fenton. 

Hamlin. 

1  Curt  in. 

Ilarlan. 

i 
j  Pomeroy. 

IK 

to 

~ 

w 

A 

•JL 

j  Creswell.  I 

Alabama 

4 

9 

4 

2 
1 

2 

Arkansas  

California 

1 

2 
6 

^ 

'     9!  

i 

! 

Connecticut  

4 

2 
9 

2 

4l  

Dakota  

6  

i 

District  of  Columbia 
Florida  

9 

9 

g 

2 

Georgia     

6 

2 

3 

6 

9 

| 

Idaho 

jiiiuois  

8 
26 

15 

3 

11 

i 

16 

G 

2*j 

Louisiana     

14!  

Maine   .                          •  

M 

Maryland  

1 

i;] 

Massachusetts  

24 

• 

Michigan  

16.., 

8 

Mississippi  

5 

r) 

9 

*>() 

Montana  

n 



6 

I'" 

Nevada     

9 

4 

io.., 

New  Jersey  

!     14 

New  York 

66 

i 

North  Carolina   .... 

IS 

Oii^o. 

42 

Ore  --''on  

IB 

i'ennsylvania 

i 

3 

3 
2 

4S 

Khode  Island  

2 
12 



1 

South  Carolina 

Tennessee  
Texas  

...... 

6 

3 
1 

11 

Vermont  

10 

Virginia  .        

is 

9 

\Vrc«5t  Vir<Tini-i 

5 

1        2 

7!  

Wisconsin    

(i     2 

125!     2S 

1 
501 

Total... 

1491 

16 

—  !-- 

6    6  22l 

1  1  V) 

115 

13 

LIFE    OP   COLFAX. 


395 


The  President.  Gentlemen  of  the  Convention,  I  read 
the  statement  of  the  vote. 

The  total  number  of  votes  cast  is .  648 

Necessary  to  a  choice 325 

Mr.  Wade  has 149 

Mr.  Fenton  has 125 

Mr.  Wilson  has 119 

Mr.  Colfax  has ; 118 

Mr.  Curtin  has 50 

•Mr.   Ilamlin   has 28 

Mr.  Speed  has 22 

Mr.  Harlan  has 16 

Mr.  Creswell  has 13 

Mr.  Kelley  has 6 

You  have  made  no  choice.  Is  it  your  pleasure  to  pro 
ceed  to  another  call  of  the  roll  ? 

Mr.  Wood  of  Kentucky.  On  behalf  of  the  delegation 
from  Kentucky,  I  withdraw  the  name  of  Mr.  Speed. 

The  Secretary  then  proceeded  to  call  the  States,  with  the 
following  result : 

SECOND     BALLOT. 


STATES. 

Wilson. 

Colfax. 

Wade. 

Fenton. 

Ilamlin. 

a 

o 

Alnbama    

]] 

1 

2 

o 

A-i'k'in^as                             . 

10 

California  

] 

2 

5 

2 

Colorado 

•    6 

4 

1 

3 

4 

Dakot-tli              

9 

5 

1 

District  of  Columbia     

9 

l^loridn 

9 

2 

2 

9 

9 

>7 

Idaho 

2 

Illinois  .. 

3 

14 

o 

11 

390 


LIFE   OF    COLFAX. 
SECOND  BALLOT — Continued. 


STATES. 

1 

£ 

Col  fax. 

Wado. 

Fentou. 

Ilamliii. 

Curtin. 

26 

Iowa  

4 

10 

2 

Kansas  .           

') 

9 

.,  •    •  '2 

Kentucky  

9 

13 

2 

14 

Maine    

14 

Maryland 

] 

Q 

10 

1 

Massachusetts  

24 

Michigan 

16 

8 

Mississippi 

4 

5 

4 

Missouri  

9 

20 

Montana  .  . 

2 

Nebraska  

6 



Nevada  

9 

4 

New  Hampshire  

10 

New  Jersey    

14 

New  York    

66 

North  Carolina.    

9 

9 

Ohio  

4 

38 

Oregon        

6 

Pennsylvania  

3 

5 

44 

Khode  Island   

5 

0 

South  Carolina  

12 

Tennessee  

6 

3 

ii 

Texas  

9 

3 

"Vermont   

10 

Vi  r»'inia  

12 

4 

2 

2 

West  Virginia..  . 

c 

3 

1 

Wisconsin  

7 

1 

6 

2 

Total... 

113 

146 

169 

144 

30 

44 

THE  ANNOUNCEMENT. 

The  President.     Gentlemen,  I  read  the  statement  of  the 
vote  : 

Total  number  of  votes  cast 647 

Necessary  to  a  choice 324 

Mr.  Wade  has...  .  1G9 


LIFE    OF    COLFAX.  397 

Mr.  Comix  has 146 

Mr.  Fenton  has 142 

Mr.  Wilson  has 113 

Mr.  Curtin  has 45 

Mr.  Hamlin  has 30 

You  have  made  no  choice.  Will  the  Secretary  proceed 
with  the  call  of  the  roll  ? 

Voices.     "The  roll!" 

The  roll  was  called  for  the  third  time,  when  Alabama 
gave  Wilson,  11;  Wade,  2;  Fenton,  2;  Colfax,  1.  Arkansas 
—Wilson,  10.  California— Colfax,  1 ;  Fenton,  1 ;  Wade,  8. 
Colorado — Colfax,  6.  Connecticut — Fenton,  7  ;  Wade,  2  ; 
Colfax,  3.  Dacotah— Colfax,  5;  Fenton,  1.  District  Co 
lumbia—Wade,  2.  Florida— Colfax,  2  ;  Wilson,  2  ;  Fenton, 
2.  Georgia— Colfax,  4;  Wade,  6;  Fenton,  8.  Idaho— 
Fenton,  2.  Illinois— Wade,  17;  Hamlin,  6;  Colfax,  4; 
Fenton,  3.  Indiana— Colfax,  2(3.  Iowa— Colfax,  8;  Fen 
ton,  8.  Kansas— Colfax,  2;  Wade,  2;  Fenton,  2.  Ken 
tucky — Wade,  6 ;  Colfax,  6 ;  Fenton,  5.  Maine — Hamlin, 
14.  Maryland— Wade,  10;  Colfax,  2;  Wilson,  1;  Hamlin, 
1.  Massachusetts — Wilson,  24.  Michigan — Colfax,  16. 
Minnesota — Wade,  7  ;  Wilson,  1.  Mississippi — Fenton,  5 ; 
Wilson,  2;  Wade,  4;  Colfax,  1.  Missouri— Wade,  20; 
Colfax,  2.  Montana  — Wade,  2.  Nebraska  — Wade,  6. 
Nevada — Wade,  2;  Fenton,  4.  New  Hampshire — Wilson, 
10.  New  Jersey — Colfax,  14.  New  York — Fenton,  66. 
North  Carolina— Wade,  9;  Wilson,  9.  Ohio— Wade,  37; 
Colfax,  5.  Oregon  —  Colfax,  6.  Pennsylvania  —  Curtin, 
40 ;  Wade,  7 ;  Colfax,  5.  Rhode  Island— Colfax,  8.  South 
Carolina — Wilson,  12.  Tennessee — Fenton,  11;  Colfax, 
6;  Wade,  3.  Texas — Wade,  11;  Fenton,  1.  Vermont — 
Colfax,  10.  Virginia— Colfax,  6;  Wade,  2;  Wilson,  10; 
Fenton,  2.  West  Virginia— Colfax,  2;  Wilson,  7;  Wade, 
1.  Wisconsin— Colfax,  8  ;  Fenton,  5 ;  Wade,  1 ;  Hamlin,  2. 


398  LIFE   OF    COLFAX. 

THIRD  BALLOT. 

The  President.     I  read  the  statement  of  the  vote : 

Total  number  of  votes  cast 647 

Necessary  to  a  choice 324 

Mr.  Wade  has 178 

Mr.  Colfax  has 165 

Mr.  Fenton  has 139 

Mr.  Wilson  has 99 

Mr.  Curtin  has 40 

Mr.  Hamlin  has 25 

Mr.  McGlure,  of  Pennsylvania,  then  read  a  letter  with 
drawing  the  name  of  Governor  Curtin,  when  the  Secre 
tary  proceeded  to  call  the  roll  for  a  fourth  ballot. 

FOURTH  BALLOT. 

Alabama— Wilson,  11;  Wade,  2;  Feriton,  2;  Colfax,  1. 
Arkansas — Wilson,  8;  Wade,  2.  California  —  Colfax,  1; 
Fenton,  2  ;  Wade,  7.  Colorado — Colfax,  6.  Connecticut — 
Feriton,  8;  Wade,  2;  Colfax,  2.  Delaware— Colfax,  5; 
Fenton,  1.  Dakotah  —  Colfax,  2.  District  Columbia — 
Wade,  2.  Florida  — Wilson,  2;  Fenton,  2;  Colfax,  2. 
Georgia — Wade,  5;  Colfax,  5;  Fenton,  8.  Idaho — Fen 
ton,  2.  Illinois— Wade,  7;  Hamlin,  6;  Colfax,  6;  Fenton, 
3.  Indiana— Colfax,  26.  Iowa— Colfax,  8;  Fenton,  8. 
Kansas — Colfax,  2;  Wade,  2;  Fenton,  2.  Kentucky — 
Wade,  12;  Colfax,  10.  Louisiana— Fenton,  9;  Wade,  5. 
Maine — Hamlin,  14.  Maryland— Wade,  10;  Colfax,  3; 
Wilson,  1.  Massachusetts — Wilson,  24.  Michigan — Colfax, 
16.  Minnesota — Wade,  7;  Wilson,  1.  Mississippi — Feri 
ton,  4;  Wilson,  4;  Wade,  5;  Colfax,  1.  Missouri — Wade, 
20;  Colfax,  22.  Montana— Wade,  2.  Nebraska— Wade,  6. 
Nevada — Wade,  2;  Fenton,  4.  New  Hampshire — Wilson, 
10.  New  Jersey — Colfax,  14.  New  York — Fenton,  66. 
North  Carolina — Wade,  8;  Wilson,  7;  Fenton,  1.  Ohio — 
Wade,  36;  Colfax,  6.  Oregon — Colfax,  6.  Pennsylvania 


LIFE    OF   COLFAX. 


399 


—Wade,  33;  Colfax,  14;  Hamlin,  3.  Rhode  Island— Col- 
fax,  6;  Wade.  2.  South  Carolina— Wilson,  7;  Fenton,  5. 
Tennessee — Fenton,  11;  Colfax,  6;  Wade,  3.  Texas — 
Wade,  11 ;  Colfax,  1.  Vermont — Colfax,  10.  Virginia — 
Wade,  2;  Wilson,  5;  Fenton,  3.  West  Virginia — Wade,  1; 
Wilson,  5;  Colfax,  4.  Wisconsin — Colfax,  11;  Fenton,  3; 
ILunlin,  3. 

The  President.     I  read  the  statement  of  the  vote : 

Total  number  of  votes  cast 646 

Necessary  to  a  choice 324 

Mr.  Wade  has 204 

Mr.  Colfax  has 186 

Mr.  Fenton  has !...  144 

Mr.  Wilson  has 87 

Mr.  Hamlin  has 25 

The  Secretary  then  called  the  roll  on  the  fifth  ballot,  when 
votes  were  cast  as  follows  : 

FIFTH   BALLOT. 


STATES. 

Wade. 

Colfax. 

Fenton. 

Hamlin. 

Wilson. 

Alabama               . 

9 

] 

2 

11 

Arkansas  

2 

8 

(  Jalifornia  

8 

1 

1 

6 

2 

4 

6 

Dakotah  

o 

Delaware  

2 

4 

District  of  Columbia  

*> 

] 

5 

Georgia  

5 

3 

10 

Idaho  

2 

Illinois  

19 

8 

3 

2 

i  mliana  

26 

. 

Iowa  

8 

8 

2 

2 

Q 

12 

10 

:: 



Louisiana  ... 

5 

9 

... 

Maine  

14 

M  arvland  

10 

3 

1 

Massachusetts  

24 

400 


LIFE   OF   COLFAX. 
FIFTH  BALLOT — Continued. 


STATES. 

Wade. 

(Colfax. 

i 

Fenton. 

Hamlin. 

Wilson. 

16 

Minnesota  

7 

5 

20 
^ 

6 
1 

G 

1 
3 

JMississippi    

1      * 

4 

Missouri  

Montana            .    •• 

Nebraska  

5 
1 

New  Hampshire    

New  Jersey 

14 

66 

North  Carolina  

9 
36 

7 
6 
6 

30 

8 

2 

Ohio  ..    ... 

20 

1 

] 

Rhode  Island    

4) 

7 

3 

3 
12 

17 

Texas  

Vermont  

10 
10 
9 

11 

Virginia  

2 

I 

5 

3 

West  Virginia  

2 

3 

Total..., 

206 

225            1401             19 

56 

Before  the  result  of  this  ballot  was  announced,  Mr.  Wil 
liamson,  of  Iowa,  said:  Iowa  desires  to  change  the  votes 
cast  for  Fenton  to  Colfax,  and  casts  its  entire  sixteen  votes 
for  Colfax. 

Mr.  McClure,  of  Pennsylvania.  Pennsylvania  votes  unan 
imously  for  Colfax. 

Mr.  Warmouth.  I  am  directed  by  the  delegation  from 
Louisiana  to  change  its  fourteen  votes  for  Schuyler  Colfax. 

All  the  other  States  then  changed  their  votes  to  Mr.  Col 
fax,  and  his  nomination  was  made  unanimous,  amid  the 
greatest  enthusiasm. 

As  soon  as  order  could  be  restored,  the  President  said : 
I  have  an  important  dispatch  to  read.  It  is  one  in  which 


LIFE   OF   COLFAX.  401 

you  will  doubtless  be  much  interested.  It  is  addressed  by 
the  Hon.  Schuyler  Colfax  to  the  Hon.  J.  B.  Defrees,  of  In 
diana,  and  he  says,  "I  read,  this  morning,  to  General  Grant, 
the  midnight  dispatches  giving  an  abstract  of  the  platform, 
and  General  Grant  heartily  approves  its  tone." 

A  committee,  to  consist  of  the  officers  of  the  Convention, 
was  appointed  to  call  on  General  Grant  and  Speaker  Col- 
fax  and  inform  them  of  their  nomination. 

NATIONAL   EXECUTIVE    COMMITTEE. 

The  Secretary  then  called  the  States,  and  the  following 
was  announced  as  the  National  Executive  Committee : 
Alabama — James  P.  Stow. 
Arkansas — B.  F.  Rice. 
California — G.  C.  Gorham. 
Connecticut — Henry  II.  Starkweather. 
Delaware — Edward  G.  Bradford. 
Florida — S.  B.  Conover, 
Georgia — J.  H.  Caldwell. 
Illinois — J.  E.  Jones. 
Indiana — Cyrus  N.  Hams. 
Iowa — Joshua  Fletcher. 
Kansas — John  A.  Barton. 
Kentucky — Allen  A.  Burton. 
Louisiana — M.  II.  Southworth. 
Maine — L.  Barker. 
Maryland— C.  C.  Wulton. 
Massachusetts — "W.  Clanin. 
Michigan — Marsh  Giddings. 
Minnesota — J.  T.  Averill. 
Mississippi — A.  Z.  Fisk. 
Missouri — B.  Loan. 
Nebraska— E.  P.  Taylor 
Nevada — C.  E.  DeLong. 


402  LIFE    OF   COLFAX. 

% 

New  Hampshire — W.  E.  Chandler. 
New  Jersey — James  Gopsill. 
New  York — Horace  Greeley. 
North  Carolina— W.  Sloan. 
Ohio— B.  E.  Howell. 
Oregon— H.  W.  Corbett. 
Pennsylvania — W.  H.  Kemble. 
Rhode  Island — Lyman  B.  Frieze. 
South  Carolina — Joseph  H.  Jenks. 
Tennessee— W.  B.  Stokes. 
Texas— A.  J.  Hamilton. 
Vermont— T.  W.  Parks. 
Virginia — Franklin  Stearns. 
West  Virginia — S.  D.  Karns. 
Wisconsin — David  Atwood. 
Colorado — Daniel  Witter. 
Dakotah — N.  Edwards. 
Idaho— J.  C.  Henley. 
Montana — E.  M.  Wilson. 

ADJOURNMENT. 

General  Cochrane,  of  New  York.  I  move  that  the  con 
vention  do  now  adjourn,  to  meet  again  at  the  call  of  the 
National  Committee. 

The  President.  Such  a  motion  has  previously  been  made 
and  carried.  The  question  is,  shall  the  Convention  now 
adjourn  ?  Carried  unanimously,  and  the  Convention  ad 
journed. 


LIFE    OF    COLFAX.  403 


CHAPTER    V. 

HOW    MR.     COLFAX     RECEIVED     HIS     NOMINATION — GREETINGS     FROM     HIS 

BROTHER    MEMBERS THE    CROWD    AT    THE    CAPITOL SERENADE    TO    MR. 

COLFAX REPRESENTATIVE     PIKE*S    REMARKS MR.     COLFAx's     SPEECH 

RECEPTION    OF    THE    SOLDIER' S    COMMITTEE THE     SPEECHES — RECEPTION 

OF  THE  REPUBLICAN  COMMITTEE SPEECH  OF  GOVERNOR  HAWLEY REPLY 

OF    SPEAKER    COLFAX HIS    FORMAL    LETTER    OF   ACCEPTANCE — GENERAL 

REMARKS — THE  END. 

WHEN  Mr.  Colfax  was  nominated,  he  was  at  his  room  in 
the  Capitol,  where  he -was,  throughout  the  day,  the  recip 
ient  of  complimentary  calls  from  distinguished  members  of 
the  Government.  Mr.  Orton,  the  President  of  the  Union 
Telegraph  Company,  forwarded  dispatches  to  him  every  few 
minutes,  arid  when  the  one  announcing  his  nomination  was 
received,  the  greatest  enthusiasm  prevailed,  and  his  brother 
members  of  the  House  crowded  around  him,  and  warmly 
congratulated  him  on  his  merited  promotion. 

In  the  other  wing  of  the  Capitol  a  crowd  of  senators  and 
members  had  gathered  about  the  Vice-President's  room, 
where  dispatches  were  read  every  ten  or  fifteen  minutes, 
announcing  the  progress  of  the  ballots.  When  Mr.  Wade 
heard  that  Colfax  was  nominated,  the  old  "Ashtabula 
Chief"  said:  "Well,  he  deserves  it.  and  will  make  a  good 
run." 

Next  evening  a  large  procession,  headed  by  a  band, 
marched  to  Mr.  Colfax's  residence,  where  he  was  addressed 
by  Representative  Pike,  of  Maine,  who  spoke  in  behalf  of 


404  LIFE   OF   COLFAX. 

the  people.     At  the  conclusion  of  Mr.  Pike's  speech,  Speaker 
Colfax  said  : 

k-  MY  FRIENDS  :  I  thank  you  with  all  the  fullness  of  a 
grateful  heart  for  this  flattering  manifestation  of  your  confi 
dence  and  regard.  I  congratulate  you  on  the  auspicious 
opening  of  the  eventful  campaign  on  which  we  are  entering. 
In  the  Chicago  Convention,  representing  the  entire  con 
tinental  area  of  the  republic,  every  State,  every  Territory, 
every  district,  and  every  delegate,  from  ocean  to  ocean, 
declared  that  their  first  and  only  choice  for  President  was 
Ulysses  S.  Grant.  Brave,  and  yet  unassuming ;  reticent, 
and  yet,  when  necessary,  firm  as  the  eternal  hills;  with 
every  thought,  and  hope,  and  aspiration  for  his  country ; 
with  modesty  only  equaled  by  his  merits — it  is  not  extrava 
gant  for  me  to  say  that  he  is  to-day,  of  all  other  men  in  the 
land,  'first  in  war,  first  in  peace,  and  first  in  the  hearts  of 
his  countrymen/  His  name  is  the  very  synonym  of  vic 
tory,  and  he  will  lead  the  Union  hosts  to  triumph  at  the 
polls  as  he  led  the  Union  armies  to  triumph  in  the  field. 
But  greater  even  than  the  conqueror  of  Vicksburg,  and  the 
destroyer  of  the  rebellion,  is  the  glorious  inspiration  of  our 
noble  principles,  animated  by  the  sublime  truths  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence.  Our  banner  bears  an  inscrip 
tion  more  magnetic  than  the  names  of  its  standard-bearers, 
which  the  whole  world  can  see  as  it  floats  to  the  breeze, 
'Liberty  and  Loyalty,  Justice  and  Public  Safety.'  Defying 
all  prejudices,  we  are  for  uplifting  the  lowly  and  protecting 
the  oppressed.  History  records,  to  the  immortal  honor  of 
our  organization,  that  it  saved  the  nation  and  emancipated 
a  race.  We  struck  the  fetter  from  the  limb  of  the  slave, 
and  lifted  millions  into  the  glorious  sunlight  of  liberty.  We 
placed  the  emancipated  slave  on  his  feet  as  a  man,  and  put 
into  his  right  hand  the  ballot,  to  protect  his  manhood  and 


LIFE    OF    COLFAX.  405 

his  rights.  We  staked  our  political  existence  on  the  recon 
struction  of  the  revolted  States — on  the  sure  and  eternal 
corner-stone  of  loyalty — and  we  shall  triumph.  I  know 
there  is  no  holiday  contest  before  us ;  but  with  energy  and 
zeal,  with  principles  that  humanity  will  prove,  and  that  I 
believe  God  will  bless,  we  shall  go  through  the  contest 
conquering  and  to  conquer,  and  on  the  4th  day  of  March 
next  the  people's  champion  will  be  borne  by  the  people's 
votes  to  yonder  White  House,  that  I  regret  to  sny  is  now 
dishonored  by  its  unworthy  occupant.  Then,  with  peace 
and  confidence,  we  may  expect  our  beloved  country  to  enter 
upon  a  career  of  prosperity  which  shall  eclipse  the  most 
brilliant  annals  of  our  past.  I  bid  you  God  speed  in  this 
work,  and  now,  good-night." 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  speech,  many  of  the  people 
entered  the  house  and  shook  the  Speaker  by  the  hand. 

On  the  29th  of  May,  1868,  at  two  o'clock,  the  committee 
from  the  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  National  Convention,  headed 
by  their  chairman,  Colonel  Alleman,  of  Pennsylvania,  called 
on  the  Speaker  at  his  rooms  in  the  capitol,  where  a  brief 
address  was  made  by  the  chairman. 

Mr.  Colfax  replied,  alluding,  in  striking  terms,  to  the 
perils  by  land  and  sea  which  were  endured  by  the  soldiers 
and  sailors  of  the  Union  in  defense  of  the  Constitution  and 
flag  of  their  country.  Great  as  were  the  obligations  of  the 
nation  to  those  at  home  who  stood  by  the  Government  in  its 
hour  of  trial,  greater  still  was  the  debt  of  gratitude  it  owed 
to  those  who,  leaving  home  and  all  at  the  risk  of  life  and 
limb,  to  save  the  republic  from  destruction,  going  forth  from 
every  portion  of  the  republic,  some  in  the  freshness  of  life's 
June,  and  some  in  the  ripe  maturity  of  life's  October.  The 
land,  South  and  North,  is  filled  with  the  graves  of  the 
nation's  patriot  sons.  Their  memory  will  ever  be  inscribed 


406  LIFE    OF    COLFAX. 

in  all  patriotic  hearts  as  long  as  time  shall  last  or  the 
republic  endure.  Thanking  fhe  committee  who  represented 
the  survivors  of  the  heroic  defenders  of  the  Union  for  this 
expression  of  their  esteem  and  regard,  he  closed  with  the 
assurance  that  if  the  ballot-box  should  ratify  the  nomina 
tions  at  Chicago,  his  fidelity  to  principle  and  devotion  to  the 
Union  would  show  that  their  confidence  had  not  been  mis 
placed. 

A  copy  of  the  platform  of  principles  was  presented  to 
the  Speaker.  The  committee,  after  a  few  moments,  retired, 
and  the  Speaker  returned  to  his  duties  in  the-  House  of 
Representatives. 

In  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  Mr.  Colfax  being 
present  at  General  Grant's  house,  Governor  Hawley,  with 
the  committee  from  the  citizen's  National  Convention,  paid 
respect  to  Mr.  Colfax.  General  Hawley  said : 

"  MR.  COLFAX  :  You  have  heard  our  declaration  of  prin 
ciples  at  Chicago,  and,  therefore,  I  need  not  repeat  them. 
You  are  aware  that  numerous  candidates  for  the  Vice-Presi 
dency  were  presented.  They  were  all  loved  and  respected, 
and  your  selection  was  brought  about  by  the  good-will  and 
friendship  entertained  for  yourself.  You  are  known  to  the 
American  people  by  fourteen  years  of  public  service.  We 
know  you  came  from  the  people,  and  without  false  pretense, 
you  are  faithful  to  principle.  The  Convention  tenders  you 
the  nomination  for  Vice-President,  and  asks  your  accep 
tance." 

Mr.  Colfax  replied : 

"  MR.  PRESIDENT  HAWLEY  AND  GENTLEMEN  :  History  has 
already  proclaimed  that  the  victories  of  the  party  you 
represent  during  the  recent  war  always  give  increased  hope 


LIFE    OF   COLFAX.  407 

and  confidence  to  the  nation,  while  its  reverses  and  defeats 
ever  increased  the  national  peril.  It  is  no  light  tribute, 
therefore,  to  the  millions  of  Republicans  in  the  forty-two 
States  and  Territories  represented  in  the  Chicago  Conven 
tion,  that  our  organization  has  been  so  inseparably  inter 
woven  with  the  best  interests  of  the  republic,  that  the 
triumphs  and  reverses  of  the  one  have  been  the  triumphs 
and  reverses  of  the  other.  Since  the  General  of  our  armies, 
with  his  heroic  followers,  crushed  the  rebellion,  the  carrying 
out  of  its  policy,  that  loyalty  should  govern  what  loyalty 
preserved,- has  beeir  worthy  of  its  honored  record  in  the 
war.  Cordially  agreeing  with  the  platform  adopted  by  its 
National  Convention,  and  the  resolutions  thereto  attached, 
I  accept  the  nomination  with  which  I  have  been  honored, 
and  will  hereafter  communicate  that  acceptance  to  you  in 
the  more  formal  manner  that  usage  requires." 

There  were  long  and  continued  demonstrations  of  ap 
plause. 

The  gentlemen  present  generally  advanced  and  shook 
General  Grant  and  Speaker  Colfax  by  the  hand,  and  con 
gratulated  them  on  the  choice  of  the  Convention.  The 
party  then  withdrew  to  an  adjoining  room,  where  a  collation 
had  been  provided. 

On  the  30th  of  May,  1868,  Speaker  Colfax  addressed  the 
following  eloquent  letter  to  General  Hawley,  accepting  the 
rtfcinination  of  the  Republican  party  for  the  Vice-Presidency : 

"WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  May  30,  1868. 

"To  Hon.  J.  JR.  J/rtw;%,  President  of  the  National   Union  Republican 

Convention  : 

"DEAR  SIR:  The  platform  adopted  by  the  patriotic 
Convention  over  which  you  presided,  and  the  resolutions 
which  so  happily  supplement  it,  so  entirely  agree  with  r»iy 


408  LIFE    OF   COLFAX. 

views  as  to  a  just  national  policy,  that  my  thanks  are  due 
to  the  delegates  as  much  for  this  clear  and  auspicious 
declaration  of  principles,  as  for  the  nomination  with  which  I 
have  been  honored,  and  which  I  gratefully  accept. 

"When  a  great  rebellion,  which  imperiled  the  national 
existence,  was  at  last  overthrown,  the  duty  of  all  others 
devolving  on  those  intrusted  with  the  responsibilities  of 
legislation  evidently  was  to  require  that  the  revolted  States 
should  be  re-admitted  into  participation  in  the  Government 
against  which  they  erred  only  on  such  a  basis  as  to  increase 
and  fortify,  not  to  weaken  or  endanger  the  strength  and 
power  of  the  nation.  Certainly  no  one  ought  to  have 
claimed  that  they  should  be  re-admitted  under  such  a  rule 
that  their  organization  as  States  could  ever  again  be  used 
at  the  opening  of  a  war  to  defy  the  national  authority  or  to 
destroy  national  unity.  This  principle  has  been  the  pole- 
star  of  those  who  have  inflexibly  insisted  on  the  congres 
sional  policy  your  Convention  so  cordially  indorsed.  Baf 
fled  by  executive  opposition  and  by  persistent  refusals  to 
accept  any  plan  of  reconstruction  proposed  by  Congress, 
justice,  and  public  safety,  at  last  combined  to  teach  us  that 
only  by  an  enlargement  of  suffrage  in  those  States  could  the 
desired  end  be  attained,  and  that  it  was  even  more  safe  to 
give  the  ballot  to  those  who  loved  the  Union  than  to  those 
who  had  sought  ineffectually  to  destroy  it.  The  assured 
success  of  this  legislation  is  being  written  on  the  adamant 
of  history,  and  will  be  our  triumphant  vindication. 

"  More  clearly,  too,  than  ever  before  does  the  nation  now 
recognize  that  the  greatest  glory  of  a  republic  is  that  it 
throws  the  shield  of  its  protection  over  the  humblest  and 
weakest  of  its  people,  and  vindicates  the  rights  of  the  poor 
and  the  powerless  as  faithfully  as  those  of  the 'mighty  and 
the  powerful. 

"  I  rejoice,  too,  in  this  connection,  to  find  in  your  plat- 


LIFE   OF   COLFAX.  409 

form  the  frank  and  fearless  avowal  that  naturalized  citizens 
must  be  protected  abroad  at  every  hazard,  as  though  they 
were  native  born.  Our  whole  people  are  foreigners  or 
descendants  of  foreigners.  Our  fathers  established  by  arms 
their  ri^ht  to  be  called  a  nation.  It  remains  for  us  to 

O 

establish  the  right,  and  welcome  to  our  shores  all  who 
desire,  by  oaths  of  allegiance,  to  become  American  citizens. 
Perpetual  allegiance,  as  claimed  abroad,  is  only  another 
name  for  perpetual  bondage,  and  would  make  all  slaves  to 
the  soil  where  first  they  saw  the  light.  Our  national 
cemeteries  prove  how  faithfully  these  oaths  of  fidelity  to  the 
adopted  land  have  been  sealed  in  the  life  blood  of  thousands 
upon  thousands.  Should  we  not,  then,  be  faithless  to  the 
dead,  if  we  did  not  protect  their  living  brethren  in  full 
enjoyment  of  that  nationality  for  which,  side  by  side  with 
the  native  born,  our  soldiers  of  foreign  birth  laid  down 
their  lives? 

"It  was  fitting,  too,  that  the  representatives  of  a  party 
which  had  proved  so  true  to  national  duty  in  time  of  war, 
should  speak  so  clearly  in  time  of  peace  of  the  maintenance 
untarnished  of  the  national  honor  and  the  national  ci;edit 
and  good  faith  as  regards  its  debt,  the  cost  of  our  national 
existence. 

"I  do  not  need  to  extend  this  reply  by  further  comment 
on  a  platform  which  has  elicited  such  hearty  approval 
throughout  the  land ;  the  debt  of  gratitude  it  acknowledges 
to  the  brave  men  who  saved  the  Union  from  destruction ; 
the  frank  approval  of  amnesty,  based  on  repentance  and 
loyalty  ;  the  demand  for  the  most  rigid"  economy  and  hon 
esty  in  the  Government^;  the  sympathy  of  the  party  of 
liberty  with  all  throughout  the  world  who  long  for  the 
liberty  we  here  enjoy,  and  the  recognition  of  the  sublime 
principles  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  are  worthy 
of  the  organization  on  whose  banners  they  are  to  be  written 


410  LIFE    OF    OOLFAX. 

in  the  coming  contest.  Its  past  record  can  not  be  blotted 
out  or  forgotten.  If  there  had  been  no  Republican  party, 
slavery  would  to-day  cast  its  baleful  shadow  over  the 
republic.  If  there  had  been  no  Republican  party,  free 
press  and  free  speech  would  be  as  unknown,  from  the 
Potomac  to  the  Rio  Grande,  as  ten  years  ago.  If  the 
Republican  party  could  have  been  stricken  from  existence 
when  the  banner  of  the  rebellion  was  unfurled,  and  when  the 
response  of  '  no  coercion '  was  heard  at  the  North,  we 
would  have  had  no  nation  to-day.  But  for  the  Republican 
party  daring  the  risk  and  the  odium  of  tax  and  draft  laws,  our 
flag  could  not  have  been  kept  flying  in  the  field  until  the 
long-hoped  for  victory  came.  Without  a  Republican  party 
the  Civil  Rights  Bill,  the  guarantee  of  equality  under  the 
law  to  the  humble  and  defenseless,  as  well  as  to  the  strong, 
would  not  be  to-day  upon  our  national  statute  book. 

"  With  such  inspiration  from  the  past,  and  following  the 
example  of  the  founders  of  the  republic  who  called  the 
victorious  General  of  the  Revolution  to  preside  over  the 
land  his  triumphs  had  saved  from  its  enemies,  I  can  not 
doubt  that  our  labors  will  be  crowned  with  success,  and  it 
will  be  a  success  that  shall  bring  restored  hope,  confidence, 
prosperity,  and  progress  South  as  well  as  North,  West  as 
well  as  East,  and,  above  all,  the  blessings,  under  Providence, 
of  national  concord  and  peace. 

"Very  truly,  yours, 

"  SCIIUYLER  COLFAX." 

To  sum  up  our  estimate  of  Mr.  Colfax's  character,  we 
have  only  to  say  farther,  that  the  nation  believes  in  him, 
trusts  him,  and  is  willing  to  confide  its  interests  to  him, 
confident  that  if  either  in  the  speedy  or  remote  future  he 
should  be  called  to  the  Presidency,  he  will  not  disappoint 
the  hopes  of  those  who  should  elect  him,  or  prove  treacher- 


LIFE    OF    GOLF  AX.  411 

ous  to  the  convictions  he  had  previously  avowed.  He  can 
not,  and  will  not,  under  any  temptation,  be  other  than  a 
true,  honest,  upright,  God-fearing,  manly  man. 

Thousands  of  young  men  will  cast  their  first  vote  this 
fall,  and  we  hope  they  will  begin  their  political  lives  right, 
by  voting  for  the  Republican  ticket.  Hurrah  for  Grant 
and  Colfax! 


T1TK 


GRANT  AND  COLFAX 

*"' 

A  Collection  of  Original,  Stirring  Campaign  Songs, 
Set  to  Popular  and  Familiar  Airs. 

BY  GEN.  JAS.  S.  BRISBIN. 


Price,  1O  Cents.     -     -     J^ess  by  the  quantity. 


COME,  SHOUT  FOR  U.  S.  GRANT. 


A  PARAPHRASE. 


Mr.—  "Sunset  Tree." 


1  COME,  shout  for  U.  S.  Grant, 

The  soldier,  bold  and  true  \ 
Hurrah!  hurrah!  hurrah! 

For  Schuyler  Colf'ax,  too. 
With  the  Tanner  of  the  West, 

And  the  Indiana  blue, 
We  '11  put  the  copperheads  to  rest, 

With  all  their  rebel  crew. 

CHORUS. 

Come,  shout  for  U.  S.  Grant, 
Our  country's  pride  and  boast! 

Hurrah  !  hurrah !  hurrah ! 
We  're  one  determined  host. 

2  Ye  men  who  till  the  land, 

Your  country's  surest  stay; 
'Come,  boldly  take  your  stand 

For  the  hero  of  the  day. 
Come,  for  the  nation's  pride, 

March  up  in  bold  array, 
As  brothers,  side  by  side, 

For  the  hero  of  the  day. 
Come,  shout  for  U.  S.  Grant,  etc. 


GRANT  AND   COLFAX   CAMPAIGN   SONGS. 

3  Ye  who  in  cities  live, 

Come  forth  in  bold  array, 
And  to  your  country  give 

Help  on  election  day.  € 

Come  one,  come  all,  and  sing 

Our  last  and  sweetest  lay, 
And  richest  tribute  bring 

To  the  hero  of  the  day. 
Come,  shout  for  U.  S.  Grant,  etc. 


THE  TANNER  OP  THE  WEST. 

A  PARAPHRASE. 


Tune.—"'Tis  my  delight  of  a  shiny  night. 


1  ONCE  more  our  glorious  banner 

Upon  the  breeze  we  throw; 
Beneath  its  folds  with  song  and  shout 

Let's  charge  upon  the  foe. 
Our  brave  "Old  Abe,"  alas!  no  more 

Shall  place  his  lance  in  rest; 
But  well  we  know  the  love  he  bore 
The  Tanner  of  the  AVest. 

The  Tanner  of  the  West,  my  boys, 
The  Tanner  of  the  West. 

3  Then,  brothers,  rise  and  rally  round 

The  soldier  ever  true, 
Until  his  name  with  trumpet  sound 

Shall  wake  the  welkin's  blue; 
And  millions  with  admiring  eyea 

Shall  call  him  from  his  rest, 
The  hero  of  new  victories, 

The  Tanner  of  the  West,  etc. 

3  When  rebels  sought  with  flags  unfurled 

The  empire  of  the  Free, 
Who,  with  his  soldiers  backward  hurled 

The  Southrons  to  the  sea? 
Who  greatest  cheered  our  gallant  tars, 

And  fired  the  soldier's  breast, 
Till  victory  hailed  our  stripes  and  stars? 

T  was  the  Tanner  of  the  West,  etc. 


GRANT   AND    COLFAX   CAMPAIGN   SONGS. 


4  Whene'er  forgot  the  common  -weal. 

And  party  waves  run  strong,     ' 
Till^e'en  the  wisest  halt  and  feel 

That  every  thing  goes  wrong; 
There  's  one  who  light  and  quiet  brings, 

And  lulls  the  storm  to  rest. 
Till  peace  conies  on  her  angel  wings, 

'T  is  the  Tanner  of  the  West>  etc. 

5  The  honors  which  good  Lincoln  won, 

Encircle  not  his  head ; 
Like  withered  wreaths  they  rest  upon 

Another  s  brow  instead. 
The  soldier,  never  faithless  known, 

The  worthiest  and  the  best, 
Shall  make  them  bloom  again — our  own — 

The  Tanner  of  the  West,  etc. 

6  '0 !  ever  green  the  sods  that  lie 

Above  the  sainted  dead, 
And  o'er  our  path  his  memory 

For  aye  his  radiance  shed. 
Its  hallowed  light  shall  fall  upon 

Our  flag,  where'er  it  rests, 
And  write  the  name  of  ABE  LINCOLN 
With  the  Tanner  of  the  West,  etc. 


"NO  FAIL  GRANT." 

COMPOSED  BY  RICPIARD  MARSH,  OF  LEXINGTON,  KY. 


Air.— ' Lucy  Neal." 

A  SONG  to  our  gallant  chieftain, 

A  chieftain  great  and  bold ; 
Whose  deeds  will  rank  in  story, 
With  the  proudest  sung  of  old. 
Hurrah  for  him  who  fails  not 

In  the  hottest  battle's  din 
Whose  command  is  but  to  "  go  in. 
To  "go  in"  but  to  win. 

2  Tho'  at  Belmont  pressed  back  sternly, 

He  knew  he  had  at  hand 
Men  who  ever  would  fight  firmly 
At  his  "no  fail"  command. 

Hurrah  for  him  who  fails  not,  etc. 


GRANT   AND    COLFAX   CAMPAIGN   SONGS. 

3  At  Fort  Donelson  they  rallied, 

He  knew  their  might  full  well, 
But  as  numbers  he  ne'er  tallied, 
That  haughty  fortress  fell. 

Hurrah  for  him  who  fails  not,  etc. 

4  While  proud  Pemberton  at  Yicksburg, 

Stood  thirty  thousand  strong, 
With  great  battlements,  a-deeining 
His  time  he  could  prolong. 

Hurrah  for  him  who  fails  not,  etc. 

5  Soon  Pern,  heard  a  tramp  a-coming, 

And  with  it  rang  a  name, 
That  with  all  his  mss  and  drumming, 
Made  him  tremble  for  his  fame. 
Hurrah  for  him  who  fails  not,  etc. 

6  The  "on  to  Richmond"  oft  was  tried 

By  leaders  young  and  old, 
But  all  by  legions  bold  defied, 
No  victory  could  unfold. 
Hurrah"  for  him  who  fails  not,  etc. 

7  McClellan's  brilliant  host  gave  way, 

McDowell  failed  to  win, 
But  when  the  "Tanner  Boy"  got  sway, 
lie  raked  the  victories  in. 

Hurrah  for  him  who  fails  not,  etc. 

8  Hurrah,  boys,  for  "no  fail"  Grant, 

Who  marched  through  weal  or  woe ; 
Who  marched  but  to  conquer, 
To  conquer  every  foe. 

Hurrah  for  him  who  fails  not 
In  the  hottest  battle's  din; 
Whose  command  is  but  to  "go  in," 
To  "go  in"  but  to  win. 


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ONE  HANDSOME  OCTAVO  VOLUME,  OF  NEAKLY  600  PAGES, 

FllICE,  Bound  iti  tJte  Best  JEnfllish  Morocco  Cloth,  $3.5O  per  copy. 
"  "  Half-Calf  Antique, 5.0O     "        " 


Embodying  a  complete  history  of  the  Laurel  Hill,  Carrick's  Ford,  and 
Cheat  Mountain  campaigns,  in  West  Virginia — illustrated  by  an  elegant 
map,  engraved  expressly  for  this  work;  a  full  record  of  the  operations 
of  Nelson's  division  of  the  Army  of  the  Ohio,  and  Palmer's  division  of  the 
Army  of  the  Cumberland,  down  to  the  re-organization  of  that  army  in 
October,  1863;  and  carefully-prepared  descriptions  of  all  the  battles, 
marches,  etc.,  of  those  commands. 

Egg*' The  battle  of  SHI LO II,  in  particular,  is  fully  and  graph 
ically  described  from  a  new  stand-point,  and  many  facts  of 
HISTORIC  INTEREST  (obtained  from  original  sources)  are 
brought  to  II glit  for  the  first  time. 

Containing  a  full  biographical  sketch  of  Major-General  William  Nel 
son;  and  also  briefer  sketches  of  the  following: 

Gen.  John  M.  Palmer,     Gen.  William  B.  Hazen,  Gen.  Milo  S.  Hascall, 
"     Thos.  J.  Wood,  "    Jacob  Ammen,  "     Thomas  A.  Morris. 

"     J.  J.  Reynolds,  "    William  Grose, 


Sent,  post-paid,  on  receipt  of  price. 
Agents  wanted  every-where,  and  extraordinary  inducements  offered, 

E.  HANNAFORD, 

JVo.  S8  irest  Fourth  M.,  CI-YCIJY-VrtTI,  O. 


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